California insurance broker spends $1.56 million to weaken Three-Strikes law
The Associated Press
Last Updated 6:12 am PDT Monday, May 31, 2004
LOS ANGELES (AP) - A Sacramento insurance broker has spent $1.56 million in an effort to qualify an initiative for the November ballot that would weaken California's three-strikes law and could lead to the release of the man's son, who is serving an eight-year prison sentence for a car crash that killed two people.
Jerry Keenan spent the money to gather petition signatures to place the initiative on the ballot, the Los Angeles Times reported Monday, citing campaign finance records. Keenan declined to discuss the issue.
Both proponents and opponents of the effort say they expect the initiative to qualify for the ballot within the next few days.
Supporters say it would save the state hundreds of millions of dollars by reserving long sentences for those who commit serious crimes rather than relatively minor offenses.
http://www.sacbee.com/state_wire/story/9490336p-10414300c.html