woman who received life sentence as teenager after fatally stabbing a pimp who sexually abused her w
19 replies, posted
[quote]A Southern California woman who received a life sentence as a teenager for killing her former pimp will be allowed to go free after Gov. Jerry Brown decided against blocking a parole board's ruling that grants her freedom.
Sara Kruzan was 17 when she was sentenced to die in prison for the 1994 shooting death of George Gilbert Howard in a Riverside motel room. She contended that he had sexually abused her and groomed her for six years to work as a child prostitute.
Kruzan's case became a high-profile example for advocates seeking to soften harsh prison sentences for juveniles.
"It is justice long overdue," said state Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, who sponsored the law that allows juveniles sentenced to life in prison without parole to seek new sentencing hearings.
He called Kruzan's case the "perfect example of adults who failed her, of society failing her."
Yee went on to say that "a predator" had "stalked her, raped her, forced her into prostitution, and there was no one around" to help or protect her.
Brown's decision that effectively grants Kruzan's freedom came about two weeks before deadline, spokesman Evan Westrup said Saturday. The parole board is expected to act on Monday.
Kruzan's case garnered widespread publicity in 2010 after Human Rights Watch posted an interview with her on YouTube.
That year culminated with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, on his last full day in office, commuting her sentence to 25 years to life with the possibility of parole. Schwarzenegger said he still considered her guilty of first-degree murder, but he sympathized with her defense.
"Given Ms. Kruzan's age at the time of the murder, and considering the significant abuse she suffered at his hands, I believe Ms. Kruzan's sentence is excessive," the governor wrote in his commutation message, "it is apparent that Ms. Kruzan suffered significant abuse starting at a vulnerable age."
This January, a Riverside judge reduced her murder conviction to second degree, making her immediately eligible for release.[/quote]
[url]http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/brown-freedom-ca-woman-killed-pimp-20693857[/url]
Wow. Really. This is terrible.
do they completely ignore the case and just give out sentences based on what they do in the united states?
The article says shooting death but the title says stabbed
[QUOTE=Johnny Guitar;42664928]do they completely ignore the case and just give out sentences based on what they do in the united states?[/QUOTE]
I'm not saying that she wasn't just in doing it, I agree with what she did and I'm glad she's out now, but yes, they do. The purpose of the courts is to judge whether the act was committed or not, and not whether it was justified. Its blind justice.
[QUOTE=Bazsil;42664963]I'm not saying that she wasn't just in doing it, I agree with what she did and I'm glad she's out now, but yes, they do. The purpose of the courts is to judge whether the act was committed or not, and not whether it was justified. Its blind justice.[/QUOTE]
This isn't even remotely true, world. Both the judge and jury often give leniency based on the case, in fact it's a core of our justice system.
[QUOTE=Bazsil;42664963]I'm not saying that she wasn't just in doing it, I agree with what she did and I'm glad she's out now, but yes, they do. The purpose of the courts is to judge whether the act was committed or not, and not whether it was justified. Its blind justice.[/QUOTE]
You're completely wrong.
Self-defense and lesser charges exist in the most court systems.
Motive is an extremely important part of justice.
[QUOTE=frozensoda;42665007]This isn't even remotely true, world. Both the judge and jury often give leniency based on the case, in fact it's a core of our justice system.[/QUOTE]
Yeah I didn't mean to say this doesn't happen, but saying it "isn't even remotely true" is wrong. We'd never be able to stop the human components of the system showing sympathy and leniency, but on paper the legal system is meant to be entirely free of bias or favor.
I don't know why you're bringing the jury into this considering its just a bunch of random people
[QUOTE=Bazsil;42665044]Yeah I didn't mean to say this doesn't happen, but saying it "isn't even remotely true" is wrong. We'd never be able to stop the human components of the system showing sympathy and leniency, but on paper the legal system is meant to be entirely free of bias or favor.
I don't know why you're bringing the jury into this considering its just a bunch of random people[/QUOTE]
What the fuck are you talking about? Seriously? The system is set up o be unbiased, but not to discount motive. Motive is the single biggest factor in determining sentences. I think what you mean is that on average sentences seem longer than you approve of. It may be true that we give out more years per crime, but to say that all crimes of the same type get the same sentence is ignorant, and misinformed. I believe that even with all it's shortcomings, our justice system is one of the best in the world for [B]violent offenders[/B] The debate about how long people should do for crime is really a debate about whether or not prison is an effective means of rehabilitation.
Well, hopefully Sara can make the most of her life now she's out of prison.
[QUOTE=ironman17;42665107]Well, hopefully Sara can make the most of her life now she's out of prison.[/QUOTE]
Doubt it, someone thats been in jail since they were a teenager and also has a murder charge to their name isn't going to get a job anywhere.
[QUOTE=RainbowStalin;42665465]Doubt it, someone thats been in jail since they were a teenager and also has a murder charge to their name isn't going to get a job anywhere.[/QUOTE]
Again, untrue. There are VAST networks "felon friendly" employers. They are linked up with the aftercare you get upon being released, the thing is that most people who do prison time are lazy criminals. I'm not saying it's going to be an easy, or fair life, but when a felon gets out they have opportunities, and in some places, believe it or not, more than non-offenders.
edit: I didn't say it was right or just, all I said is that there are opportunities for her to work and make a living.
[QUOTE=frozensoda;42665515]Again, untrue. There are VAST networks "felon friendly" employers. They are linked up with the aftercare you get upon being released, the thing is that most people who do prison time are lazy criminals. I'm not saying it's going to be an easy, or fair life, but when a felon gets out they have opportunities, and in some places, believe it or not, more than non-offenders.[/QUOTE]If unknowingly having an arrest record can bar you from a great many opportunities in life, I'm fairly fucking certain a felony sentence is going to make things even worse. You are right, though, there are networks of "felon friendly" employers that will take you, but they're usually shitty fucking jobs where normal people don't want to work.
Then again, there's always organized crime. They pay pretty well.
[QUOTE=Johnny Guitar;42664928]do they completely ignore the case and just give out sentences based on what they do in the united states?[/QUOTE]
Murder is objectively wrong, no matter the circumstance.
[QUOTE=SPESSMEHREN;42666871]Murder is objectively wrong, no matter the circumstance.[/QUOTE]
Right and wrong don't exist.
Well goddamn now that is just one of the most horrible things that I have heard recently sending a child to prison for life for killing someone that was abusing is despicable, that and trying children as adults as well.
[QUOTE=SPESSMEHREN;42666871]Murder is objectively wrong, no matter the circumstance.[/QUOTE]
yeah, fuck self defense!
[QUOTE=Liem;42664956]The article says shooting death but the title says stabbed[/QUOTE]
Stabbed with bullets.
[QUOTE=frozensoda;42665515]Again, untrue. There are VAST networks "felon friendly" employers. They are linked up with the aftercare you get upon being released, the thing is that most people who do prison time are lazy criminals. I'm not saying it's going to be an easy, or fair life, but when a felon gets out they have opportunities, and in some places, believe it or not, more than non-offenders.
edit: I didn't say it was right or just, all I said is that there are opportunities for her to work and make a living.[/QUOTE]
Yeah, vast networks of shit jobs that no one wants to work and never lead anywhere.
Why she was even in there in the first place is the exact reason I have no respect for our shitty justice system.
[QUOTE=RainbowStalin;42665465]Doubt it, someone thats been in jail since they were a teenager and also has a murder charge to their name isn't going to get a job anywhere.[/QUOTE]
She can be a webcam girl. Locked in a small room all day while people watch her constantly...it's what she's trained for all these years.
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