Victims of Crime and Leniency (VOCAL) is getting vocal about opposition to a bill introduced in the Alabama Legislature.
Under existing law, a judge may split the sentence of an offender who has received a sentence of 20 years or less. House Bill 43, by State Rep. Jim Hill (R-Moody), would allow a judge to split the sentence of an offender who receives a sentence of 30 years or less.
VOCAL's executive director, Wanda Miller, said her group fought the bill last year and is doing so again this year.
"We look at it as every time you take a brick out of the wall, the wall becomes weaker," Miller told 1819 News. "And we just keep bringing sentencing down every session and keep taking those bricks out of the wall. We're going soft on crime instead of sending the message that if you commit a class A felony, you are going to be sentenced this length of time."
Miller is concerned that those convicted of Class A felonies, such as murder, kidnapping, rape and arson, could be let out of prison after serving only 10 years. As a crime survivor herself, she said she knows how it feels to worry about maintaining justice.
VOCAL members are speaking with lawmakers and have already addressed the Senate Judiciary Committee. However, Miller said there is a lot of support to give judges more discretion for unusual cases. However, if someone let out early re-offends, they could be sent back to prison for the remainder of their sentence.
"When we tell people, 'I'm going to let you out, but if you re-offend or if you mess up, then I can send you back to prison,' then what we are doing is opening the door to another victim," Miller argued.
Miller used the Birmingham case of Damien McDaniel, now accused of 14 murders, as an example.
"He had received a split sentence," Miller said. "He walked out of prison after his split was done and went on a murderous rampage."
Miller said VOCAL has received numerous calls from victims across the state who do not want the bill to pass.
"I do hope that we have enough support to keep the bill from passing," Miller added. "But we're going to see. We're going to keep on fighting."
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