Sacramento Bee: Thousands of California inmates are sentenced to die in prison. Should some get to seek parole?

Bill author Sen. Dave Cortese, D-San Jose, and criminal justice reform advocates say some eligible prisoners received harsh sentences under a system that may look at their crimes differently today. They say inmates have worked hard to change themselves and atone for their crimes, and they no longer belong in prison. “If there’s one of those, or two, or four out of 500, then I think we have a compelling reason to create a due process path for them,” Cortese said. “That allows them to make their case. And then it’s up to judges, parole boards and the governor, ultimately, to make a decision.”

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