A year after the passage of California’s Marsy’s Law, crime victims have already began seeing the positive effects of the bill. The law greatly reduced the number of parole hearings provided to criminal offenders in order to help reduce the strain on the families of the victims who are required to attend the hearings. For many, the frequent hearings cause emotional strain by forcing them to relive the ordeal, additionally, the frequent trips to these hearings can often result in financial burdens.
Legislatures believe the law will also help save tax dollars by extending the period of time a person must wait between parole hearings. “Because of Marsy’s Law, I was afforded liberties that I have not seen in any of the previous parole hearings I’ve attended for other crime victims,” said Justice for Homicide Victims member Arnold Heilemann. “It will be a long time before we have to relive the agony of another parole hearing, but we must remain vigilant that Marsy’s Law does not become a law that can be ignored.” Marsy’s Law permits judges to select anywhere from one to fifteen year long periods the convict must wait before again applying for parole. The man convicted of murdering Heilemann’s son received the maximum waiting period of 15 years.
With the law in effect, those facing parole hearings need to take these opportunities even more seriously and should always work with a skilled San Diego criminal lawyer in order to maximize their argument’s effectiveness.
To learn more about Marsy’s Law, please read the article in Reuters. Image Via Bloomsberries [Flickr]