You can debate the effectiveness of California's tough Three Strikes Law until you're blue in the face (see our Feb. 25 post), you can argue that their application sometimes results in punishments too harsh for the crimes committed; but the reality is, in California, the majority of politicians, law enforcement officials and the general public are convinced that harsh sentencing of repeat offenders works as a crime deterrent. Whether you agree or not, "three strikes and you're out" is what you're faced with if you're a repeat criminal offender in Los Angeles or anywhere in the state of California.
Sometimes, though, the forced application of the Three Strikes Law would seem to amount to a miscarriage of justice, particularly in a state overwhelmed by seriously overcrowded prisons. Expert Los Angeles criminal defense attorney Stephen Rodriguez recounted the case of Jerry DeWayne Williams who was convicted of stealing a single slice of pepperoni pizza from a group of children.
Williams "received a Third Strike sentence because he had two prior felony strike convictions," LA criminal defense attorney Stephen Rodriguez explained. "Jerry Williams was sentenced to life in prison after pinching the pizza ... because he had a history of robbery, attempted robbery, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, and possession of a controlled substance. Making off with the slice was petty theft, but, because of California state law and Williams' earlier convictions, the crime was classified as a felony."
In Los Angeles and California, the Three Strikes Law mandates that defendants convicted of a prior strike offense must be sentenced to twice the usual prison term for their crime. Defendants convicted of two or more prior strike offenses face a life sentence if convicted of a third felony, even if that felony is not a strike offense. Designed to be tough on crime, the California law is harsh. Not only does it increase prison sentences, it reduces credits for good behavior.
Conviction of a three strikes offense can be disastrous. The experienced criminal defense attorneys at Rodriguez, Lewis & Kahn are tough and aggressive and understand what's at stake. As Rodriguez says, he and his Los Angeles criminal defense associates "believe that all defendants, no matter what the accusation, are entitled to a thorough and aggressive defense."
