Proposition 57 Debate Raises Concerns About Sex Offenders
When Stanford University swimmer Brock Turner walked free last Friday after serving half of a 6-month jail sentence for sexually assaulting an unconscious women, high ranking law enforcement officials saw it as an opportunity to speak out against Proposition 57.
Prop 57 is the California Parole for Non-Violent Criminals and Juvenile Court Trial Requirements Initiative.
Ventura County District Attorney Greg Totten said, “Proposition 57 is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. It’s proponents claim it only applies to non-violent offenders — nothing could be further from the truth. This deceptive initiative will make 16,000 dangerous criminals immediately eligible for early release — including people like Andrew Luster who is serving a 50 year sentence for sexual assaults he committed on three women while they were unconscious. Even if the Brock Turner, the Stanford rapist had been properly sentenced to prison he would still be eligible for early release under the initiatives terms. The real promise of this reckless proposal is more crime and a much more dangerous California. It must be rejected.”
Luster is the adopted great grandson of makeup legend Max Factor who lived in a Mussel Shoal beach house. His attorney said he was refused a 12 year plea deal even thought prosecutors had videotaped evidence of the date rapes of three unconscious women.
Luster ended up being sentenced in absentia to 124-years after he fled the country in 2002.
He was caught by bounty hunter Dog Chapman in Puerta Vallarta in June 2003.
Supporters of the initiative don’t believe Luster’s release would be a sure thing.
They said the proposition backed by Gov. Jerry Brown would promote rehabilitation programs and offer early release incentives for inmates with good behavior
The bill would also impact juveniles.
A yes vote would let judges decide whether to young teens are tried as adults, a no vote would leave that decision up to prosecutors.
For a link to read more about the proposition visit, https://ballotpedia.org/California_Proposition_57,_Parole_for_Non-Violent_Criminals_and_Juvenile_Court_Trial_Requirements_(2016)
