Blogs/1346/
6/17/15

Lifers With a Shot at Freedom

For those of you who read my posts, know that I've always felt that I'm being held hostage in the CA prison system. Today I read part of a new case that can cut my sentence in half. By the way, I have 68 years to life so 34. Yeah, bring that.

I'll start on my 22 year in October. My date to go to the Board of Prison Terms for consideration of parole is the year 2055. Yeah, 2055. That's just so sick. But if this case is what it says, I'll get to go to the BPT in a few years. For those of you who know the CA 3 Strike law, that's what this new Supreme Court ruling is about. You can't use plea bargain strikes against us. That was given to us before 1994. To simply make what I'm saying easy is many people before the Strike Law was voted in, took plea bargains and later, after '94, the courts used any deals we took as strikes. A lot of people were talked into taking deals less. Less time. Pleas in the '80s and then after '94, the judges looked up all the deals we took and used them as strikes to give us life sentences in prison.

I was given 34 years to life in 1995. Then the judge said I had a '93 plea agreement, so they 2nd strike me 68 years.

This new case finally used this plea bargain strike crap and my brother Scot Pinkerton (blogs/1347/) will be getting out. He has life, 3 strikes, and all these strikes he got were from the '80s. I love my bro and can't wait to hear that his strikes were all stricken and the life sentences taken off. Wow, ya know.

I will get to go to the BPT for my chance at the parole date. I just want a chance to go to work, pay bills, be a productive part of society. I've been locked up half of my life, and I'm scared to get out. But I can tell you this: I'm not a criminal. I'm a grown-up who is drug-free and ready to learn about life.

Here is the case in case you need to read it. You may know someone who took plea bargains before 1994 and this case will help them.
People v. Trujeque

It's like a 8 page read. Supreme Court ruling. I can't do 68 years but 34, I can do. And maybe the BPT will let me out next year or a few after that. I'm posting this because I'm so happy that I needed to tell someone. I have plans when they parole me.

Donnie