SACRAMENTO : Stiff Penalties Urged for Church Arsons
From Times Staff and Wire Reports
Hoping to prevent California from suffering the arson fires that have plagued predominantly African American churches in other parts of the country recently, Gov. Pete Wilson on Thursday recommended sharply stiffer penalties for such offenses. Wilson said the crime should be added to the state’s existing “one strike” arson law. It would require a sentence of 10 years to life in prison for those found guilty of setting fires that cause injury or at least $5 million in property damage.
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