Supreme Court Ruling Will Lead To Release Of 127 Prisoners
This week's state Supreme Court rulings on parole
for sex offenders will likely lead to the release of 127 prisoners
soon.
Colorado prisons chief John Suthers said that those sex offenders
already have finished up their original prison sentences and were
locked up again for parole violations.
Under the Supreme Court's ruling, they should not have been
under parole supervision in the first place.
Another 249 sex offenders, already freed from prison but under
parole supervision, will be discharged from parole soon because
they should not have been under such supervision according to the
Supreme Court's ruling, Suthers said.
IN A NUTSHELL
The Colorado Supreme Court ruling could force state officials to release up to 1,600 sex offenders
The case involves a sex offender whose parole exceeded his prison term
State authorities will not release any offenders until Attorney General Ken Salazar issues an opinion
The others 1,142 sex offenders affected by the ruling will
continue serving their prison terms and may spend little or no time
on parole after they are released, he said.
The Supreme Court's interpretation of conflicting laws on sex
offenders' sentences only affects those people who committed crimes
between 1993 and 1998.
One law said that parole cannot exceed the unserved part of the
maximum sentence imposed or five years, whichever is less. The
other said parole can be no longer than the remainder of the
maximum prison sentence imposed.
Since 1998, Colorado has required lifetime supervision of sex
offenders after they complete their prison sentences.
The Supreme Court ruled that the law in effect at the time a
person was convicted should apply.
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Colorado prisons chief John Suthers said that those sex offenders
already have finished up their original prison sentences and were
locked up again for parole violations.
Under the Supreme Court's ruling, they should not have been
under parole supervision in the first place.
Another 249 sex offenders, already freed from prison but under
parole supervision, will be discharged from parole soon because
they should not have been under such supervision according to the
Supreme Court's ruling, Suthers said.
