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Marsy’s Law -- threat to paroleMarsy's Law, also known as the "Crime Victims Bill of Rights" was recently submitted as a ballot initiative with 1.2 million signatures. Supported by victims' rights organizations and funded by GOP millionaire Henry Nicholas to the tune of $4.8 million, Marsy's law greatly expands rights accorded to victims and particularly targets term-to-life prisoners. It allows anyone who ever knew a particular crime victim to attend and speak out at the parole hearing of the offender convicted of the crime, including representatives of victims' rights organizations.The most dangerous provision is that it changes the standard parole denial period for life term prisoners to 15 years! It requires that the Board set forth clear and convincing evidence as to why a prisoner should have another parole hearing sooner than 15 years in order for a shorter period to be set! This drastic provision would be retroactive for current life-term prisoners and essentially eliminates the possibility of parole for life term prisoners. It is crucial that prisoner advocates, family members and prisoners themselves join together to organize against this terrible initiative! Last updated July 21, 2008 12:10 PM |
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