2023 被監禁25年的重罪犯出獄法案通過，引發爭議

重罪可出獄法案通過，引發爭議

 

世界日報 ｜2023-09-03        

 

加州參議會撥款委員會（Assembly Appropriations Committee）1日通過SB 94法案，使該法進入下一階段投票。這項法案允許已在加州監獄係統被監禁25年，或於1994年6月前犯下罪行，被判無期徒刑且不得假釋的殺人犯重啟司法審查的可能性。

 

若該法最終成為法律，一些重罪犯將可能得到釋放，包括殺害執法人員、殺害三人或三人以上罪犯，及犯有某些性犯罪和謀殺者。

 

提出SB 94法案的加州參議員柯特斯（Dave Cortese）

 

Fox電視台報導，提出該法的民主黨籍加州參議員柯特斯（Dave Cortese）在社交媒體上發文稱，「很高興我的一些關鍵法案能在州議會撥款委員會上通過。」SB 94聯盟（SB 94 Coalition）的特勞特菲爾德（Daniel Trautfield）表示，SB 94創建一個簡單的流程，讓被監禁數十年的人，證明自己已經改過自新，有一天可成功返回社區。

 

這項有爭議的法案，激怒一些地區檢察官和犯罪受害倡議者。橙縣地方檢察官斯皮策（Todd Spitzer）說，SB 94將讓那些曆經各種努力才被合法判刑者，得以重新審理案件，讓本應死在監獄的人重新釋放出獄。

 

加州共和黨主席帕特森（Jessica Millan Patterson）在聲明中，對民主黨控製的議會通過法案感到震驚，「加州民主黨人繼續向加州人發出訊息，他們寧願保護殺人犯，也不願將精力集中在真正的公共安全，保護受害者。」

 

1986年，當年僅6歲的安特羅（Miguel Antero）在拉古拉山（Agoura Hills）被發現死亡。其母親布蘭肖（Ani Bradshaw）擔心該法幫助殺害兒子的凶手出獄。「這個凶手、怪物不能被公之於眾，以免其他家庭曆經這樣的痛苦。」

 

然該法支持者強調「沒有人被釋放」，重審的過程涉及州長辦公室、假釋委員會和其他嚴格程序。特勞特菲爾德說，許多婦女因家庭暴力犯下罪行，在上世紀80、70年代，這些情況在法庭上是不被允許的。這也意味著一些女性經過審判後被判處終身監禁，不得假釋。

 

California Dem-led committee advances bill to let killers serving life without parole request re-sentencing

 

Senate Bill 94 would apply to those serving life with parole who committed the crime before June 5, 1990

 

 By Louis Casiano Fox News   September 1, 2023

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A bill that would allow killers serving a life sentence without parole to possibly be re-sentenced cleared a major hurdle Friday in California's Democratic-led state Legislature. 

The state Assembly Appropriations Committee advanced Senate Bill 94, which now moves to the next phase of voting. The bill would allow California prison inmates serving a sentence of life without parole (LWOP) for certain crimes to petition for re-sentencing if the offense occurred before June 5, 1990, and the completion of at least 25 years of their sentence. 

Those convicted of first-degree murder of a police officer would be exempt. Those who are re-sentenced would have the opportunity to someday go in front of a parole board, which could deny them release. 

 

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State Capitol Aerial view of California Capitol in Sacramento. Lawmakers advanced a bill Friday that would allow killers serving life without parole to petition for re-sentencing.  (Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

In a social media post, state Sen. Dave Cortese, a Democrat who introduced the bill, simply said he was "thrilled that these key bills of mine passed the Assembly Appropriations Committee."

 

Fox News Digital has reached out to Cortese's office. 

"I’d like to say I am shocked Senate Bill 94 passed out of the Democrat-controlled Assembly Appropriations Committee, but I’m not,"Jessica Millan Patterson, chair of the California Republican Party, said in a statement. "California Democrats continue to send a crystal-clear message to all Californians: they would rather protect violent murderers than focus their efforts on true public safety and protecting victims."

 

California state Sen. Dave Cortese, a Democrat, introduced a bill that would allow convicted murders serving life without parole sentences the opportunity to be re-sentenced. (California State Senate)

Assemblyman Bill Essayli, a Republican and former federal prosecutor, said those sentenced for heinous crimes should serve their full prison term, even if that's life without the possibility of parole. 

"Killing two individuals with aggravating circumstances isn't enough to justify a LWOP sentence? Being an accomplice to a mass murderer isn't?," he asked. "Killing a peace officer is sufficiently heinous, but killing a firefighter or other public official isn't?  These exclusions are purely political."

"LWOP sentences are promises to the victim's families that they need never fear the person will be let out of prison," he added. "This will permit a large percentage of LWOP offenders to be re-sentenced to standard first-degree murder and eligible for parole immediately."

Essayli noted that many juries and victim families agree to LWOP because of assurances that the person convicted would never be released. 

"Now here we are trying to let them out," he said. 

SB 94 sailed through the Democratic majority state Senate before moving to the Assembly in May. 

Louis Casiano is a reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to [e-mail].