Former Manson follower of the Charles Manson family, Bruce Davis, was found suitable for parole in January after a five-hour-long hearing. The man was convicted in the murders of Gary Hinman and stuntman Donald 'Shorty' Shea in 1969. KTLA News reports that Bruce Davis was sentenced to two life terms, but a two-person parole panel recently gave the approval of a supervised release from prison.
The parole of Bruce Davis still needs to be approved by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who now has the power to accept or reverse the parole panel's decision. According to KTLA News, Charles Manson and most of his followers in the Charles Manson family have repeatedly been denied parole. Charles Manson will actually soon be up for parole again in 2012.
Los Angeles District Attorney Steve Cooley has strongly urged the governor to reject the parole of Bruce Davis, arguing that the convicted felon still is dangerous and still attempts to minimize his criminal responsibility.
"I strongly oppose the release of inmate Bruce Davis and believe that he is an unreasonable parole risk and a danger to the public," Steve Cooley wrote in a letter to Arnold Schwarzenegger.
There seems to be a great deal of debate in Los Angeles about possible parole for the Manson followers. When it comes to parole, Los Angeles criminal defense attorneys usually bring up the point that it is less expensive to supervise a parolee than to incarcerate a prisoner and that parole allows convicted criminals to contribute and be a part of society. However, granting parole to a prisoner can certainly cause fear within a community and put the public at risk for other hostile crimes.
Related Resources:
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California Makes Policy Change on Parole Records (FindLaw's Blotter Blog)
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Decisions in Criminal Cases Including Reversal of Gov. Schwarzenneger's Parole Decision (California Case Law)
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