3 strikes law reformed, fewer harsh sentences
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
LOS ANGELES -- The nation's harshest three strikes law has been reformed to allow for shorter sentences for some offenders.
Proposition 36 passed 68 percent to 32 percent Tuesday with 26 percent of precincts reporting. An offender's third felony conviction now must be a serious or violent crime to mandate an automatic sentence of 25 years to life in prison.
Previously, any felony conviction -- even for a relatively minor offense -- triggered the automatic sentence for an offender with two previous felony convictions for serious or violent crimes.
Opponents argued the law needed no alteration and was meant to punish California's habitual offenders.
Supporters argue the state will save millions a year by cutting down on the number of parole hearings and shortening long prison sentences.
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About two dozen protesters stood in front of Kern County Superior Court next to the Liberty Bell Thursday morning to make a statement about police brutality.
The death of a man in custody following a prolonged struggle with Kern County Sheriff's deputies and CHP officers and the subsequent fracas over confiscated witness cellphones have gained international attention and raised concerns here that the incidents could tarnish the county's emerging...
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