After a parole hearing was held Wednesday for James Scott, who was convicted of causing the Great Flood of 1993 more than 30 years ago, a family friend said he was optimistic about the outcome.
The Missouri Board of Probation and Parole met Wednesday morning to consider whether Scott should be released after spending three decades in the Jefferson City Correctional Center.
The board spent at least an hour questioning Scott about his role in the flood, the time he spent in prison and his future plans if he were to be released, said Adam Pitluk, the friend who represented Scott’s family during the hearing.
Scott was 24 when he was sentenced to life in prison in 1993 after the flood left Hannibal submerged in water and destroyed at least 14,000 acres of surrounding farmland. The flood ultimately inundated 20 million acres across nine Midwestern states and is considered one of the most devastating and costliest floods in modern U.S. history.
Scott was working with a sandbag crew in 1993 to try to stop the rising floodwaters in Hannibal. On July 16, while he was loading several bags onto a levee, he noticed a breach. He threw several more bags onto the levee, notified the National Guard and walked away.
Later that day, the levee failed, the Mississippi River burst through the barrier and the town was flooded.
Scott was accused of tampering with the levee infrastructure and prosecuted under a 1979 Missouri law that makes it a crime to purposefully cause a catastrophe.
He has since maintained his innocence, and he has supporters who remain convinced that he is not guilty.
Pitluk, who graduated from the University of Missouri and is now a professor in South Carolina, wrote the 2007 book “Damned to Eternity: The Story of the Man They Say Caused the Flood,” which explores the case and its legal proceedings.
On Wednesday, he and Scott both attended the parole hearing, along with a representative of the prison and members of the Parole Board. Scott remained steady and calm throughout the hearing, Pitluk said.
He said Scott, now 56, was questioned about his actions during the flood and about previous charges of arson and burglary. Members of the board also reviewed Scott’s conduct in prison.
Pitluk said the board shared a file of his record, with 42 certificates acknowledging his positive behavior and four violations of prison policies about feeding the birds, where he dried his clothes and other matters.
The board also covered Scott’s plans to reenter society should he be granted parole. Pitluk said he told the board that Scott could become a carpenter or handyman, given his experience making furniture for schools and government offices during his time in prison.
A decision about Scott’s possible release is not expected for several weeks, but Pitluk said he was hopeful.
Meanwhile, a feature film inspired by Pitluk’s book is currently in the works, to be called “An Act of God.” Produced by Third Coast Film in Nashville, it is in the early stages of development, producer Blake Babson said.
He said the film company is currently working on the script and casting. He hopes to begin filming in the spring of 2027, and the movie could be released as soon as the end of 2027.
“In many ways, James’ story isn’t finished yet,” Babson said.
