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Dear Friends -
I just heard some very disturbing news about how some people think Proposition
66 (fixing the Three Strikes Law) doesn't affect them, 'so why bother voting for
it....'
If you know anyone with a Felony conviction, then you also know that the cops
and some D.A. looking to make a name for themselves will be more than happy to
lock them back up again. The passage of Proposition 66 could save them
from striking-out on what normally would be a relatively minor offense for the
average person.
I know of the very sad case of a fellow who was out on parole and gainfully
employed in construction. He was doing his best to make an honest life for
himself. After work one day he was sitting at the job site with his tools,
just waiting for his ride, and cleaning under his fingernails with a 2" pen
knife. A patrol cop rolled up and started questioning him as to why he was
there and what he was doing. When the cop learned he was on parole, the
cop arrested him for being in possession of a weapon (a little 2" pen
knife) while on parole -- and that alone ended up being his third strike!
25-years to life for a 2" pen knife, and I know of many similar ridiculous
convictions under the Three Strikes Law.
Many Politicians think prison reform isn't a popular-enough issue to support.
These are the same politicians who killed SB 1522 (Board of Prison Terms
reform), AB 2742 (inmate medical care), and SB 1399 (real rehabilitation
programs). Are these Politicians correct? No, but if Proposition 66
fails, then they'll think they were right all along and our prisons will
continue to get worse for inmates and their loved ones.
Proposition 66 is a Do-or-Die line in the sand for prison reform and we must
pass it by a landslide. Do you realize we prison reformers have 24 times
the number of potential activists/voters than the Guards' union does (and they
were able to pass the horrible law!). It is so important that you support
Proposition 66, that in addition to my asking you to vote YES on it, I also urge
you to speak with every single person you come in contact with each day, about
them supporting it too. Please make it a part of your daily routine to
educate someone new about how awful and unfair the Three Strikes law has been.
This November 2nd, please join me in sending a very clear message to our
politicians that our prison reform community has a strong voice, we want reform
now, and we're willing to show up and vote for it!
Sincerely,
Matt Gray
Deputy Chief of Staff to Senator John Vasconcellos
P.S. I will confirm that "Yes" it is true. Several of us
advocates are coming together to start a ground floor coalition of the major
prison reform groups. So look for it soon... then join us and be
counted... and let's finally have 1 powerful voice to further fix our prison
system, improve public safety, and restore power to the People.
Visit our website at http://www.cdc-info.com
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