[dawn53]

The board called his crimes "atrocious" and noted Berkowitz recently wrote to Gov. George Pataki saying he deserved to be in prison for the rest of his life.

How do you get a parole hearing when you don't want to be paroled? I just read an article about a month ago quoting him as saying he would not accept parole. Are parole hearings "automatic"?

[Salman]

Are parole hearings "automatic"?

If parole is legally possible, yes. However "life without parole" is a possible sentence. IIRC, Berkowitz got "20 to life".