Patterico's Pontifications

1/11/2006

New Proposals for Changing Three Strikes

Filed under: Crime,General,No on 66 — Patterico @ 7:30 pm



The L.A. Times reports that my boss, Steve Cooley, has joined up with defense attorney Brian Dunn to co-sponsor an amendment to the Three Strikes Law. You can read the proposal here.

The L.A. Times does not mention that another proposal to amend the law has been submitted — this one by Deputy District Attorney Steve Ipsen. Ipsen is the president of the Association of Deputy District Attorneys. He is someone I know personally (though not well), and he was a tireless opponent of Proposition 66. His proposal is here.

Close readers of the comments here already knew about both proposals, as commenter Steve M. provided both links four days ago.

I have not had time to read either proposal, and I am too busy to do so for the next few days at least. So I’m not wading into the middle of this right now. However, I provide the links as a public service, and invite comments from anyone who has read the proposals.

One thing is obvious, however: opponents of Proposition 66 (including both Cooley and Ipsen) apparently feel a need to change the law in some way. The only question is how best to do so. (By mentioning Cooley’s proposal and ignoring Ipsen’s, editors of the L.A. Times apparently are throwing in their lot with Cooley’s version.) It sounds like a pretty good bet that some version of reform will pass . . .

UPDATE: Xrlq identifies a potential issue with the drafting of the Cooley proposal.

6 Responses to “New Proposals for Changing Three Strikes”

  1. Is there a baseball metaphor that any of these proposals could use? that would really settle it for me.

    actus (85218a)

  2. If memory serves, Cooley’s had an axe to grind with the “any felony can be strike three” rule since before he took office. Personally, I think that’s bunk: show me a felony that isn’t serious enough to warrant putting a third-time recidivist away for good, and I’ll show you a felony that shouldn’t be classified as a felony. And I don’t doubt that there are such laws; I just think that if the problem is with the definition of a felony, we should fix that, not use use it as an excuse to fix what isn’t broke.

    As I may have mentioned at some point during the Prop 66 debate, however, I would make one narrow change to the Three Strikes Law myself: wobblers would be treated as misdemeanors, unless they qualified as felonies without reference to the offenses that were also counted as the first or second strike. One prior offense –> one sentence enhancement, which could either be a strike or a wobbler “upgrade,” but not both.

    Xrlq (5ffe06)

  3. Politicians that wish to change Prop 66, should be voted out of office at the next election, if not recalled before then. Those that would change Prop 13, should be treated more harshly.

    Drew Kelley (52e6d0)

  4. It has been two years since we talked, regarding Prop 66. My son Thaddeus, was killed by Richard Keenan in a drunk driving crash. Richards father, Jerry Keenan financed Prop 66. I am sure you all remember him…
    As we discussed two years ago Jerry Keenan had attempted all avenues to free his son early from his plea bargain sentence. We fought hard, and had defeated all his efforts.
    All we asked is Richard Keenan serve his sentence he plea bargained for.
    This is to notify you that Richard Keenan will be released from prison early. Approximately 13 months early….thanks to the Supreme court…
    We received notice that there was a Supreme Court decision last year that changes the sentencing structure on a “violent” and “serious” felony.
    This case is INRAY REEVES 35CAL47655905.
    You are aware of our efforts and heartache we have been through the last 6 years to have this bastard complete his sentence. Our frustration level is beyond comprehension.

    Sherry Souza (a4b2b1)


Powered by WordPress.

Page loaded in: 0.0645 secs.