Lawmakers sent a controversial crime bill back to Governor Deval Patrick Monday after roundly rejecting an amendment he had proposed that would have given judges some flexibility in sentencing repeat offenders.
The move effectively dared the governor to sign the bill, despite his concerns about the lack of judicial discretion, or veto it and risk the wrath of legislators, victims’ families, and prosecutors who have been pushing for it. He could also do nothing and let the bill become law without his signature.
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In California we have a very tough three strikes law. Recently the prison system was ordered by a three-judge panel of the Supreme Court to release 30,000 inmates because of overcrowding due to that law. In California we spend a large percentage of the state's budget on maintaining our prison system. Those 30,000 inmates will be selected according to mitigating and other circumstances. Texas is trying to avoid a similar outcome by looking into alternative ways to rehabilitate prisoners. I know it's a lot of fun to lock people up for a long time. Please be careful with what kind of "get tough" laws you pass.
Veto the bill, governor -- on Wed.
BIG DEAL. Did they do what their constituents have DEMANDED and vote to OVERRIDE Deval's veto of the bill that would prevent illegal immigrants from getting drivers licenses? NO. And the fract that the Globe doesn't mention this shows that this paper is on the side of illegal immmigrant criminals.
Allowing judicial discretion is critical. Veto the bill.
Our dear governor veto's a bill to stop illegals from registering a car, then he veto's a bill to stop some abuses of the EBT card, now he won't sign a bill to put third time offenders of VIOLENT crimes behind bars for life. Nice way to look out for the people, we all don't have security like you do, numbskull.
really, we can't trust some judges. read onhttp://calany.wordpress.com/2012/07/15/child-molester-andrew-goodman-ohel-social-worker-gets-only-2-years/
Its good to see the Legislature stand up to this arrogant little man. He is, without a doubt, the most anti-law enforcement Governor in recent memory. Instead of pushing his own agenda, he should reflect the view of the majority of Massachusetts citizens who want this legislation to pass.
Why not 4 downs and your out? Look at California. They've had a baseball law for years and their prisons are overcrowded, the taxpayers are broke, and crime hasn't gone down! Let the judges have discretion as each case is different.
The difference is in California you get a strike for stealing a candy bar.
As a former prosecutor and a criminal defense lawyer with 20 yrs of experience, I can state emphatically there is no need for this legislation. Despite the typical misrepresentations by the media, most judges are very tough on those convicted of crimes, particularly violent crimes. This proposed legislation would place greater power in the hands of prosecutors, for it gives them the power to indict individuals for a "third strike" and requires judges, against their best judgment, to sentence some poor, undeserving individual to a lengthy term of imprisonment. The U.S. already imprisons a much higher percentage of its citizens than Russia and China. And, we are already staggering under the enormous costs of incarcerating so many people. The governor should veto this ill-considered bill.
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We have a governor that has more experience in this matter than the legislature. I see a case where the third strike for someone, is for someone who has turned his life around, gets caught up in some crap imposed upon him from the past, commits a crime to stop an even bigger crime, but gets caught up having to be charged and convicted. The judge has to levy the no parole sentence, but most of us would prefer to suspend the sentence and commend the guy for making a difficult choice. Ask any prison guard what the coercion can be like from inmates and you will get an idea of the kind of bind a former offender can be put in.
Hold on,let me get my violin!