Pubdate: Sun, 02 May 1999
Date: 05/02/1999
Source: Orange County Register (CA)
Author: Jaime Vega Rodriguez

In the California Legislature there is a pending bill authored by
State Sen. Tom Hayden that would require that a defendant be convicted
of a serious or violent felony before a life term can be imposed.
Under the present "three strikes" law a defendant who is convicted of
any current felony with prior convictions of two or more felonies,
must receive a life sentence with - minimum term of 25 years. This
type of sentencing is repressive, cruel and excessive punishment.

I am in favor of SB 79, which limits the application of the "three
strikes" law to violent felonies. By supporting this bill we will be
limiting the expansion of the prison-industrial-complex at the expense
of California taxpayers.

Jaime Vega Rodriguez
Santa Ana