two conditions are attached: the inmate must have served at least six months of an ordinary sentence, or—if sentenced to life—the inmate must have served at least 10 years of that sentence. one serial killer was originally sentenced to death in 2005. he confessed to the crime, thus resulting in the commutation of his sentence to life. he then served 14 years of his life sentence and during that time received four sentence reductions for good behaviour. he was then granted parole on a "special national occasion." seven months after he was paroled he committed murder and was rearrested.