Rollback of Mandatory Gun Enhancements Rejected by State Assembly

In a victory for victims of gun violence, the California Assembly rejected Senate Bill 620. SB 620 sought to end mandatory sentences for criminals who use a gun when they commit the most heinous felonies. We blogged multiple times about the reasons that SB 620 should be defeated. One of those blogs exposed the lies told by Kim McGill of the Youth Coalition to […]

California Supreme Court ruling limits harmful effects of Prop. 47

By Michele Hanisee Gov. Jerry Brown and the state Legislature steadfastly refuse to address even the most egregious flaws in their beloved soft-on-crime initiative, Proposition 47. But despite their obstinacy, a droplet of positive news has trickled out of Sacramento. The California Supreme Court has ruled that judges have wide discretion to refuse to shorten […]

Monday Morning Memo for May 29, 2017

Prosecution Prosecutors are pushing back against Sessions order to pursue most severe penalties A week after U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions told federal prosecutors to “charge and pursue the most serious, readily provable offense” and follow mandatory minimum sentencing guidelines, a bipartisan group of prosecutors at the state and local level is expressing concern. Thirty current and former state and […]

Monday Morning Memo for April 17, 2017

Prosecution California official, 7 others charged in FBI bid-rigging sting Federal prosecutors have charged a former high-ranking official in California’s veterans affairs department and seven other people in an investigation of alleged bid rigging on public construction contracts, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced Friday. Prosecutors said the investigation that led to the indictment of Eric Worthen, […]

Monday Morning Memo for April 10, 2017

Prosecution Prosecutors toss out case against standoff suspect accused of assault Prosecutors, citing a lack of evidence, have tossed out the case against a 47-year-old man accused of threatening his family with a shotgun and sparking a five-hour standoff with local sheriff’s deputies. Marc Spitzer was arrested Sunday on suspicion of assault with a deadly […]