Mr. Ernst enumerated the reasons for those concerns: "His history before prison, his history in prison and the notoriety that surrounded the case."

The circumstances behind the shooting were disturbing enough to warrant public attention, given Mr. Jones's young age and seeming coldbloodedness. But what kept the case from fading into the hazy recesses of a city's consciousness was Mr. McDonald's public forgiveness of Mr. Jones, as well as his interest in wanting to rehabilitate the youth who had left him a paraplegic. Mr. McDonald even hoped that he and Mr. Jones would one day conduct joint speaking engagements after the inmate was released.

But Mr. Jones had a troubled history in prison, said James Flateau, spokesman for the Department of Correctional Services. During his eight and a half years of incarceration, Mr. Jones repeatedly flouted prison rules, so much so that he spent a considerable amount of time in disciplinary housing.

"He had a history of misbehavior," Mr. Flateau said.

Mr. Jones was denied parole three times but was finally given his conditional release last Wednesday from the prison at Auburn. He moved back to his old neighborhood, sharing an apartment with his girlfriend at 1735 Madison Avenue. All the while, officers from the parole division's criminal intelligence unit watched him.

"In potentially problematic cases, we will sometimes place people under more extended surveillance," Mr. Ernst said. "It's measured in terms of days and weeks rather than months."