ANOTHER BACK-DOOR ATTACK ON LWOP IN CALIFORNIA

By Bob Walsh

 

The legislature of the formerly great state of California is working on yet another law to water down responsibility for criminal action within the state.  The vehicle is SB672, AKA "The Youthful Offender Rehabilitation and Opportunity Act," is proposed by Senator Susan Rubio (D-Baldwin Park).  If passed into law it would allow many "youthful offenders" (those who committed their crimes before their 26th birthday) and who were sentenced to Life Without Parole (LWOP) to apply for consideration for release after serving at least 25 years of their sentence.

As one might expect a lot of District Attorney's and real police managers (as opposed to empty suit police management) are opposed to this proposal.

Under current CA law only those convicted of special circumstances murder can be sentenced to LWOP.  These include hate crime murder, multiple murder, torture killings and similar "youthful errors in judgement."

I personally suspect it is likely to pass, and Newsom is likely to sign it if it does.  With luck, I will be wrong.