| Interim District Attorney George Gascón has charged Lucinda Moyers, who allegedly burglarized the hotel room of "Jeopardy" host Alex Trebek, under California's Three Strikes law, which could lead to a sentence of 25 years to life in prison.
Gascón's spokesperson said he was taking this step based on Moyers' two prior burglary convictions, in 1990 and 1991. Moyers has stated to reporters that she had a heroin addiction, and denies the charges in the most recent incident.
Moyers, if found guilty, certainly needs to be punished for her actions. But a punishment of 25 years to life is completely disproportionate for someone who has never been convicted of a violent crime. Moyers is 56 years old. Does it make any fiscal sense to keep her locked up into her seventies and eighties at a average cost of $47,000 per year - and likely more as she has greater health care needs as she ages?
As District Attorney, I would have a clear policy against charging third strikes for non-violent crimes. Based on the information we know about this case, I would absolutely not have charged Moyers under Three Strikes.
There has been a lot of rhetoric about Three Strikes in this campaign, and claims that all the candidates have the same views about it. This case is evidence that we most certainly do not. |
