400 Violent Felons Get Early Release

About 400 killers, rapists and thieves were freed from prison and another 80 can go home for the holidays because of a state Supreme Court ruling that they must be given time off for good behavior. The court ruled last month that rules governing inmates’ sentences can’t be changed after their crimes were committed. Last week, it refused to let the state delay the releases until the U.S. Supreme Court hears the case. Gov. Lawton Chiles was disappointed with the mass release but said the ruling only moved up by a few months what would have happened anyway.