California judicial panel weighs inmate release

AP via SFGate ^ | 2/3/9 | DON THOMPSON, Associated Press Writer

[SmithL]

San Francisco (AP) -- A federal judicial panel heard closing arguments Tuesday in a long-running legal battle over crowding in California prisons, a case that will have far-reaching consequences for the state's corrections system, its budget and public safety.

At issue are cases stretching back more than two decades that claim overcrowding is the cause of poor medical and mental health treatment. Courts already have found the care so poor that it violates inmates' constitutional rights.

Inmates' attorneys argued Tuesday that releasing tens of thousands of prisoners is the answer.

[SmithL]

Appellate Judge Stephen Reinhardt of Los Angeles, a member of the panel, said Tuesday the judges would have to favor public safety over inmates' rights if an early release program posed a great threat.

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Reinhardt, Stephen Roy

Born 1931 in New York, NY

Federal Judicial Service:
Judge, U. S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Nominated by Jimmy Carter on November 30, 1979, to a new seat created by 92 Stat. 1629; Confirmed by the Senate on September 11, 1980, and received commission on September 11, 1980.

Education:
Pomona College, B.A., 1951

Yale Law School, LL.B., 1954

Professional Career:
U.S. Air Force, 1954-1956
Law clerk, Hon. Luther W. Youngdahl, U.S. District Court, District of Columbia, 1956-1957
Private practice, Los Angeles, California, 1957-1980

Race or Ethnicity: White

Gender: Male

[BelegStrongbow]

How many warnings are the loonies going to give before decent Californians take the hint and get out of there?!?

[Right Cal Gal]

And this in a state that makes it as difficult as possible for you as a law-abiding citizen to get a concealed weapon permit.

[ScottinVA]

“Inmates’ attorneys argued Tuesday that releasing tens of thousands of prisoners is the answer.”

The answer to WHAT?? The unacceptably low rate of crime in California?

One way to deal with it: Take every SINGLE illegal immigrant (minus those with violent crime convictions) in the CA corrections systems and deport them. That would eliminate your overcrowding. Also, get busy clearing death row. There’s a backlog.

[SMARTY]

Because detainees can't live in country club conditions, the authorities think they should be released. Why not let them live in less than palatial conditions, it would be a great deterrent to crime.

[Puppage]

before decent Californians take the hint and get out of there?!?

I believe the Exodus has already begun.

[DoughtyOne]

http://www.traditionalvalues.org/pdf_files/NinthCircuitCourt0404.pdf

I haven’t read this folks, but it does tie Reinhardt to Ramona Ripston. IMO< these are two of the most vile individuals in the history of our nation.

[absalom01]

Dude, they’re married to each other.

[DoughtyOne]

Exactly!

[DoughtyOne]

I had a friend leave the state around 1990 because of what was taking place even then. We both observed regions of the California southland being completely transformed.

[absalom01]

heh...that certainly counts as “tied”.

And they certainly are a sorry pair.

[DoughtyOne]

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen one or the other of them on television advocating what I thought to be disgusting vile policy. Can you believe the figures in the PDF I linked.

One year 27 of the 28 Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Decisions were overturned by the SCOTUS. Over 70% of their decisions are overturned on a regular basis, and other federal Circuit Courts of Appeal only have a little over 40% of theirs overturned.

I would like to see the 9th Circuit Court dissolved for sixty days. At that time a new court would be formed, and a new judicial staff would start from scratch.

We would need to wait until we had the White House, the House, and the Senate to do it.

I’m sure we wouldn’t hesitate with stats like that would we. Shaking head...