Lawmakers Shelve California’s Life-Without-Parole Resentencing Bill

A controversial bill that would have allowed some inmates convicted of murder and sentenced to death or life without parole to be considered for release will no longer be heard by the California Legislature this year after the author pulled the measure Aug. 29. Senate Bill 94, introduced by state Sen. Dave Cortese, would have allowed some inmates who have served at least 25 years for crimes they were sentenced to before June 5, 1990, to potentially have their sentences reduced through judicial discretion. Some lawmakers critical of the bill celebrated its demise and thanked those who voiced their opposition to the proposal. “The radical SB 94 was a direct assault on the rights of California families who have suffered the unimaginable loss of a loved one at the hands of violent criminals,” Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones said in an Aug. 29 press release. “Thank you to Californians for standing up for justice, victims’ rights, and public safety. Together, we’ve ensured that when violent murderers brutally take a life, they lose their right to freedom—forever.”...