'THREE STRIKES AND IT DEPENDS' INITIATIVES FILED COOLEY SEEKS MODIFICATIONS IN STATE'S 'THREE-STRIKES' LAW.Byline: Troy Anderson Staff Writer Competing initiatives seeking to modify the state's 1994 ``three strikes, you're out'' law have been filed with the Attorney General's Office. Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. County District Attorney Steve Cooley Stephen Lawrence ("Steve") Cooley (born May 1, 1947 in Los Angeles, California) is a veteran prosecutor who was elected as Los Angeles County's 36th District Attorney on November 7, 2000. He was sworn in for his second term on December 6, 2004. said Friday that he filed a ``Three Strikes Reform Act of 2006'' initiative that would mandate that 25-year-to-life sentences be imposed only if the third offense is a serious or violent felony. The initiative also would provide for resentencing of inmates who previously received such a ``three-strikes'' sentence but would not receive it under provisions of the proposed initiative. ``The way the law is now, the third strike does not have to be a serious or violent crime. And for that very simple reason, you've got a lot of folks doing 25 years to life for nonserious and nonviolent offenses,'' said Johnnie Cochran Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr.[1] (October 2, 1937 – March 29, 2005) was an African American lawyer best known for his role in the legal defense during the O. J. Simpson murder case. Law Firm attorney Brian T. Dunn, who submitted the initiative with Cooley. Meanwhile, Steve Ipsen, president of the 750-member Association of Deputy District Attorneys DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEYS. The Act of Congress of March 3, 1815, 2 Story L. U. S. 1530, authorizes and directs the district attorneys of the United States to appoint by warrant, an attorney as their substitute or deputy in all cases when necessary to sue or prosecute for the United , has filed the ``Repeat Felon An individual who commits a crime of a serious nature, such as Burglary or murder. A person who commits a felony. felon n. a person who has been convicted of a felony, which is a crime punishable by death or a term in state or federal prison. Justice Act of 2006,'' an initiative that he says properly addresses the problems in the ``three-strikes'' law. ``Instead of abandoning the 'three-strikes' law, it gives the judge discretion and makes sure the punishment is fair,'' Ipsen said. ``This initiative gives the judge discretion to impose 15 years to life, nine years to life or a fixed nine-year term. ``It allows the judge to give the appropriate punishment to the criminal based on the current offense and his past offenses.'' Ipsen's initiative would be tougher than the current ``three-strikes'' law by giving rapists, child molesters Noun 1. child molester - a man who has sex (usually sodomy) with a boy as the passive partner paederast, pederast degenerate, deviant, deviate, pervert - a person whose behavior deviates from what is acceptable especially in sexual behavior and murderers only two strikes before they are given life sentences. ``My initiative says we shouldn't have to wait for another child to be molested mo·lest tr.v. mo·lest·ed, mo·lest·ing, mo·lests 1. To disturb, interfere with, or annoy. 2. To subject to unwanted or improper sexual activity. , another woman to be raped or another person to be murdered,'' Ipsen said. ``Instead of 'three strikes,' at two strikes you are out.'' The initiatives must now collect the required number of signatures in order to qualify for the November ballot. Troy Anderson, (213) 974-8985 troy.anderson(at)dailynews.com |
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