CJLF Sues California Over October Rule Opening LWOP Reviews for Thousands

1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 11

A Sacramento Superior Court lawsuit seeks to block California parole-board guidelines set to take effect in October that would let officials recommend resentencing or clemency for inmates serving life without parole.
July 9 approval of the rules by the Office of Administrative Law triggered the challenge, with the Criminal Justice Legal Foundation arguing the board exceeded its authority and violated Marsy’s Law by creating a parole-like review track.
Victims’ families say the policy could reopen cases involving inmates such as Scott Peterson, cop killer David Hill and other serial killers or mass shooters, forcing relatives to relive crimes they believed were final.
The board has argued Penal Code sections 1172.1 and 4801 do not exclude life-without-parole inmates from consideration, while opponents say a similar effort for some younger offenders failed in the Legislature last year.