Release of sex offenders leads to clash over parole board confirmations
SACRAMENTO — The Democratic-led state Senate has voted to reconfirm five commissioners to the California Board of Parole Hearings, a move that drew outcry from Republicans who argued the board recently made several egregious decisions.“The current board is clearly not doing a good job protecting children and should be replaced,” said Sen.Steven Choi (R-Irvine), speaking June 1 on the Senate floor.
The parole board consists of 21 commissioners who are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate for three-year terms.Five current commissioners — William Muniz, Michael Ruff, Rosalind Sargent-Burns, Mary Thornton and Jack Weiss — were reconfirmed June 1 in votes that fell along party lines.
Senate Republicans spoke out from the floor, expressing anger over the board’s recent decisions to grant parole to serial sex offenders David Allen Funston, Gregory Lee Vogelsang and Roberto Antonio Detrinidad.(The vote of individual commissioners was not made public.)Democrats defended the board, saying it was following a landmark 2008 ruling from the California Supreme Court that declared denying parole must be supported by evidence that the person poses a current risk.
California A Sacramento man who prosecutors said used candy and toys to lure children into his car and then molest them was granted elderly parole.Several of his victims and the woman who prosecuted the case are horrified that he may soon be released.“Parole decisions must be based on current safety risks not on the seriousness of the original offense,” said Sen.
Eloise Gómez Reyes (D-Colton).“Evidence based risk assessment exists for this exact purpose.”California’s elderly parole program allows inmates 50 and older to qualify for a parole suitability hearing if they have been incarcerated for at least 20 continuous years.
The individual can then be released if commissioners determine they do not pose a public safety risk.Republicans, however, questioned the board’s judgmen...