Latest news with #GovGavinNewsom
Washington Post
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Parole hearing for Menendez brothers delayed until August
LOS ANGELES — Erik and Lyle Menendez's hearing in front of the California state parole board has been pushed back to August, their attorneys said Tuesday. The delay comes after Gov. Gavin Newsom withdrew his request for the parole board to evaluate the brothers for clemency as they seek their freedom after 35 years behind bars for killing their parents.
The Independent
21-05-2025
- The Independent
Parole hearing for Menendez brothers delayed until August
Erik and Lyle Menendez's hearing in front of the California state parole board has been pushed back to August, their attorneys said Tuesday. The delay comes after Gov. Gavin Newsom withdrew his request for the parole board to evaluate the brothers for clemency as they seek their freedom after 35 years behind bars for killing their parents. The brothers were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for fatally shooting their father, Jose Menendez, and mother, Kitty Menendez, in their Beverly Hills mansion in 1989. They were 18 and 21 at the time. A Los Angeles judge opened the door to freedom last week by giving the brothers a new sentence of 50 years to life, making them immediately eligible for parole under California law because they were under the age of 26 when they committed their crimes. They initially had a clemency hearing scheduled in June, but it has since been converted to a parole suitability hearing and pushed back to Aug. 21 and 22, their lawyers said. Scott Wyckoff, executive officer of the California Board of Parole Hearings, said in an email to attorneys on both sides that Gov. Newsom withdrew the request for a clemency investigation last Thursday in light of the judge's resentencing decision. The governor's office declined to comment on the decision but noted that the clemency application was still considered active. The brothers' cousin, Anamaria Baralt, said in a video posted on her TikTok that the change would benefit the brothers, given that many people are not granted parole at their first hearing. 'This is not a bad thing,' Baralt said. 'Most people prepare for parole for like a year ... the more time that they can have to prepare, the better."
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Newsom criticized for not supporting domestic violence programs in state budget
Nonprofit groups that support victims of domestic violence in Stanislaus County said funding in the proposed state budget is not enough to continue the current level of services. Advocates said Gov. Gavin Newsom's May budget revision fails to shore up a sizable gap in federal funding for crime victims. The dwindling federal support for these programs through the Victims of Crime Act has been a concern in recent years. May Rico, executive director of Modesto-based Healthy Alternatives to Violent Environments, said Thursday that the organization will have to scale back services later this year if more state funding isn't allocated. VOCA has been a key source of funding for HAVEN programs including assistance for sexual assault victims at hospitals, counseling, support groups for domestic violence and sexual assault victims and assistance with restraining orders. HAVEN also supports children who have been sexually abused or have lived in violent homes. 'HAVEN would start to feel the impact of funding reductions in October,' Rico said in an email. She said HAVEN's crisis line received almost 1,300 calls for assistance last year and the organization protected clients with almost 4,000 hours of shelter service in the past year. 'We need this funding to ensure that when (domestic violence) survivors call in a crisis, there will be an advocate on the other end to help them create a plan to escape safely,' Rico said. About 250 organizations in California are asking the Legislature and Newsom for $260 million in one-time funding in the 2025-26 budget. In 2024, local programs were facing severe cuts in federal VOCA funding, including a 45% reduction for victim services provided through the Stanislaus County District Attorney's office. In addition to one-time state funds to backfill VOCA shortfalls, Newsom signed a bill in September creating the California Crime Victims Fund as a long-term funding source for victim services. But it will take time before the victims fund is generating enough support. California has received a declining amount of annual dollars from the federal crime victims fund, which accumulates financial penalties from people or companies convicted of white-collar crimes. The California Partnership to End Domestic Violence said thousands of victims statewide will be left without resources or emergency shelter if programs have to be cut this year.
