LOS ANGELES : Garcetti Urges Revision of ‘Three Strikes’ Law
Unless the “three strikes you’re out” law is limited to violent repeat offenders, the justice system will be crippled and civil courts will have to close down, Dist. Atty. Gil Garcetti predicted Wednesday.
Los Angeles County prosecutors have filed 443 third-strike cases and 1,234 second-strike cases since March, when Gov. Pete Wilson signed the three strikes law, Garcetti said. Most will go to trial, he said at a news conference.
“I do believe in the three strikes principle,” he said. “But it should reserved for the violent repeat offender.” Otherwise, he said, “The civil courts will have to close down because criminal cases take precedence.”
Garcetti said he and a delegation including the family of murder victim Polly Klaas will go to Sacramento on Thursday to urge the Senate to adopt Assembly Bill 167. They will also ask Wilson to sign the bill and put it on the November ballot.
The bill provides for life sentences without parole for serious or violent felons convicted of a third strike. Under the initiative already on the November ballot, the third strike may be any felony, including petty theft, and the sentence is 25 years to life.
Garcetti said the current three strikes law, which is identical to the one on the ballot, is clogging the system with trials because those facing life in prison are unwilling to plea bargain.
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