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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1986-04-01; City Council; 8569; Legislation SCA 9 SupportQ) .c: .u 114 0 .u M 0 c:i.. c:i.. ::I Cl) i:: 'M M Q) .u .u Q) .-I 111 Q) .u 'M M :J 0 .u M 0 >, ~ Q) .t:: .u "C CJ N 'M M 0 .c: • .u i:: ::I 0 111 'M .u .-I 111 'M .-I CJ Cl) i:: 'M ::I co 0 Q) u ,-1 \0 00 I .-I I -:t .. z 0 ti cc _. 0 z ::, 0 (.) ,-. er~~ OF CARLSBAD -AGENi.. l BILL AB# J?..s7. '1. MTG._4/1/86 DEPT . ....c.l .... ~ -- RECOMfJIENCED ACTION: LEGISLATION -REQUEST FOR SUPPORT SCA 9. Consider letter of support for legislation. Item Explanation: ~ DEPT. HD . .:e • S,,,, I CITY ATTY __ CITY MGR.~ Mayor Casler asked that this item be placed on the agenda for Council consideration . Exhibit: Letter from Senator Boatwright dated March 20, 1986. PLEASEREPLYTCl SACRAMENTO AOORE'3S 0 ROOM 3006, STATE CAPITOL SACRAMENTO 95814 TELEPHONE, 1916) 445•(1003 1035 OETllOIT AVENUE 0 SUITE 200 CONCORD 94518 TELEPHONE• 1415) 689<'<173 EAST COUNTY 0 420 W, THIRO STREET / 'ITIOCH, CA 94508 TEL,PrlONC. 1415) 754•3011 WESTCOVNTY 0 COUNTY HCALTH BLOG 100 37TH STREET RICHMOND 94805 TELEPHONE, (415) 236•3620 City C::ouncil City of Carlsbad City Hall 1200 Elm Avenue ~tuatt O!alifnrnta ilcgislaturt DANIELE. BOATWRIGHT CHAIRMArc Qtnmmitttt·nn Apprnpriatinn.a March 20, 1986 Carlsbad, California 92008 Dear Council Members: MEMBER: ELECTIONS COMMITTEE HOUSINC ANO URBAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE REVENUE ANO TAXATION COMMITTEE JOINT COMMITTCE ON PRISON CONSTRUCTION ANO OPERATIONS CALIFORNIA PUBLIC PROCOREM ENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN: SELECT COMMITTEE ON STATE PROCUREMENT ANO EXPENDITURE: PRACTICES REPRESENTING. SEVENTH SENATORIAL DISTRICT CONTRA COSTA COUNTY I am writing to ask your help in passing a measure which would ~dd a critical safeguard to the process California uses for releasing convicted murderers back into the community. My measure, Senate Constitutional Amendment 9, would give California's governor specific authority to review the decision of the state parole board to release a convicted murderer, and would give the state's chief executive 30 days in which to affirm, modify or reverse the decision. SCA 9 passed the Senate last ~rear and now faces an uphill fight in -che Assembly Public Safety Committee within the next few weeks. With Assembly approval, the measure could appear on the November, 1986 state- wide ballot. (Opinion surveys show that the majority of the people favor the idea.) Until I asked the Department of Corrections to compile a complete list, I had no idea how many convicted killers could be back out on the streets before the end of the decade. Nearly 500 convicted murderers are eligible for parole in just the next three ye~rs. I have attached a partial list, which describes over 100 of the worst cases. I think you'll agree that we need a double-check on the parole process. The 500 murderers eligible for parole over the next three years include: Kenneth Bianchi, Los Angeles' "Hillside Strangler"; Juan Corona, farmworker murderer; Gregory Powell, the Page 2 March 20, 1986 "Onion Field" murderer; Peter Ng, the San Francisco "Golden Dragon Massacre" killer; Sirhan Sirhan, murderer of Robert Kennedy; the Symbionese Liberation Army's Joseph Ramerc; and Charles Manson gang members Charles 11 Te:r.:11 Watson, Leslie Van Houten, and Patricia Krenwinkle. Regardless of the notoriety of the killers, it is certain that their release often represents a danger to our communities. According to the Department of Corrections, over 300 convicted first-degree murderers previously paroled has been sent back to prison between January 1, 1973 and June 30, 1984 --a third of them convicted of new crimes ranging from murder and rape to drug offenses. Clearly, the current system isn't working. Long ago, we established a precedent for SCA 9 within the State Constitution, which authorizes the Governor to grant reprieves, pardons and commutations after sentencing. I urge you to write your local State Assemblymember, and members of the Assembly Public Safety Committee, encouraging them to support SCA 9 ~nd give the people a chance to be heard on this important ballot proposal. The following legislators are members of the Assembly Public Safety Committee: Hon. Larry Stirling, Chairman (R-San Diego) Hon. Burt Margolin, Vice-Chairman (D-Los Angeles) Hon. Tom Bates (D-Oakland) Hon. Robert Campbell (D-Richmond) Hon. Nolan Frizzelle (R-Huntington Beach) Hon. Gwen Moore (D-Los Angeles) Hon. Don Rogers (R-Bakersfield) I hope you will join me, Governor Deukmejian, Attorney General Van de Kamp, and leading district attorneys, chiefs of police and sheriffs in support of SCA 9. DEB/brb