JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (First Alert 4) - James R. Scott, the only person ever convicted of  causing a catastrophe,  appeared before the state parole board Wednesday after 33 years in the Jefferson City Correction Center, seeking his release from prison.

Scott was convicted of intentionally breaking a levee near West Quincy, Missouri, during the 1993 Great Flood, which sent floodwaters into farms, homes and streets across 14,000 acres in Missouri and Illinois. He was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison and has served 33 years to date.

People present at the hearing said Scott appeared optimistic as he left. The board gave him approximately one hour to make his case for why he believes he has changed during his time in prison. The parole board is expected to issue a decision within two to three weeks.

Scott has maintained his innocence in the flood for three decades but has admitted to several prior offenses, including burglary and arson.

Adam Pitluk, author of  Damned to Eternity: The Story of the Man Who They Said Caused the Flood', attended the hearing as a character witness for Scott and said the board's tone was encouraging. Pitluk said Scott has undergone a significant transformation during his incarceration.

 Society was probably better off with him off the streets for all those years, but if they could see now what I've seen in his transformation, that's what I'm trying to advocate,  Pitluk said.  I hope that they can see this is not the same person. He's not only not a threat, he's going to be productive wherever he lands. 

Pitluk argues Scott's original conviction lacked physical evidence, the investigation relied on testimony and interviews.

 He was convicted on circumstantial evidence, there was no physical evidence at all that he broke this levee,  Pitluk said.  And all these years later, we're still finding different circumstances to prove that there's no way one man caused the Great Midwestern Floods of 1993 in West Quincy, Missouri. 

Not everyone supports Scott's release. Former Quincy Mayor Chuck Scholz, who said he was on the levee the night before it broke, said t

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