Pubdate: Friday,November 12,1999
Source: Orange County Register (CA)
Copyright: 1999 The Orange County Register
Contact:  http://www.ocregister.com/
Section: Local News,page 9
Author: Kraig St. Pierre-Costa Mesa

BE CAREFUL OF SAPPING STRENGTH OF '3 STRIKES'		

I'm a supporter of the  "Three Strikes" law and I hope you will consider
the following. First,Penal Code section 1385 allows both the district
attorney and courts to reduce third-strike cases to second or no-strike
cases when justice demands. This discretion is used often to prevent the
abuses you cited in your recent editorial["three Strikes'strikes
out,"Editorial,Nov.10].Please check the statistics.

Modifying the law to require the third strike be serious or violent will
allow proven criminals to strike again. Someone, maybe you,will have to be
hurt,killed or otherwise violated before that offender will even be
eligible to be treated as a third-strike offender.Is this the will of the
people? Not this person.

Kraig St. Pierre-Costa mesa
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart