LACP.org
 
.........
L.A. Police Union Alarmed By Attempted Rape Suspect Who Got Early Release
suspect claims innocence
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


LAPPL president
Paul M. Weber 		  L.A. Police Union Alarmed By Attempted Rape Suspect Who Got Early Release
suspect claims innocence

by Dennis Romero

LA Weekly

February 5, 2020

The union representing Los Angeles Police Department officers issued an I-told-ya-so this week as a state inmate who received an early release, apparently under the governor's budget-enhancing parole reform plan, was almost immediately arrested on suspicion of trying to rape his female counselor.
 

Kevin Eugene Peterson, 22, had been released in Sacramento Monday -- two months into a four-month sentence for a probation violation -- and was arrested 13 hours later on suspicion of assault to commit rape, sodomy and oral copulation, sexual battery, false imprisonment and again violating probation.

"Neighborhoods and communities throughout California are less safe today because of this irresponsible early release program," states the Los Angeles Police Protective League's board of directors. "As if that weren't bad enough, the highest percentage of the released inmates (almost 6,000) are coming to Los Angeles County ... We cannot imagine a worse time for our local officials to float the idea of police layoffs as a means of solving the city budget crisis."

The union has been warning about what it argued would be dire consequences if thousands of inmates hit the streets. The LAPPL has stated that even though only nonviolent offenders are to be eligible for the program, many of those criminals had been arrested on suspicion of violent crimes but then had charges reduced under plea agreements.

Sacramento police allege that Peterson held a female counselor he was meeting with against her will and tried to rape her. The suspect denies the charges. And, speaking of denial, state officials continue to deny that its parole reform plan constitutes a release of thousands of prisoners.

"The state is not releasing anybody," California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation spokesman Gordon Hinkle told the Associated Press (see the article below). "In fact, the law is too new for anybody to have earned enough credit enhancements ... to be taking off their sentence time."

However, Sacramento County Sheriff John McGinness told the wire, "It's true. Sacramento police arrested someone who was released from custody 16 days early in compliance with the change in the law."
.

Early-Release Inmate Booked On Attempted Rape Charge

Man Arrested Tuesday

Associated Press

February 3, 2010

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- An inmate who was released from custody 16 days early in compliance with a change in California law has been booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail on an attempted rape charge.

Kevin Eugene Peterson, 22, was arrested Tuesday and booked on four felonies: assault to commit rape/sodomy/oral copulation, sexual battery, false imprisonment and violated terms of probation.

Peterson was released early from the Sacramento County Main Jail Monday after serving two months of a four-month sentence for violating probation.

Peterson had previously served a one-year sentence for felony assault.

Sacramento police Sgt. Norm Leong said Peterson is being held without bail after allegedly trying to rape a female counselor he was meeting with and holding her captive.

The alleged assault took place on North C Street near Sacramento Loaves & Fishes 13 hours after Peterson was released from jail.

"It's true. Sacramento police arrested someone who was released from custody 16 days early in compliance with the change in the law," Sacramento County Sheriff John McGinness said via text.

Although, Peterson called the attempted rape charges against him "fraudulent charges," he said he hopes that he is not let out anytime soon.

On Tuesday, McGinness said a growing number of Sacramento County inmates are being released in compliance with an emergency statute signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The plan is part of California's new early-release program in an effort to save cash.

McGinness said Wednesday during a news conference that the criminal justice system is beyond capacity, and it's not something that can be changed.

"The bottom line is that this whole entire criminal justice system, I believe, is collapsing underneath its own weight with the lack of resources and the predictability of innocent victims experiencing horrific events because of the fact that the criminal justice system can no longer accommodate the masses is a reality," McGinness said.

Technically, only low-risk offenders can be released early. Inmates can only be kept from new release if you use a gun or cause great bodily injury.

The lawmaker behind the bill is Sen. Denise Duchaney. She was caught in meetings all day and refused to go on camera with KCRA 3 about the new early release guidelines and so did the governors office.

Kevin Mickelson, president of the Sacramento County Deputy Sheriffs' Association, said the organization opposed the governor's bill last year.

"The taxpayers are going to say that they're being taxed enough and that there's plenty of money and if you look at history, it's just a matter of: is the money being spent wisely, or have we been acting like a bunch of drunken sailors over the past 10 years?" Mickelson said. "There's plenty of money there, we're just not spending it wisely."

Mickelson also said a better definition for "violent offender" needs to be put in place.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said Tuesday that although Sacramento County may be releasing inmates early, the state isn't doing so -- yet.

"The state is not releasing anybody. In fact, the law is too new for anybody to have earned enough credit enhancements … to be taking off their sentence time," spokesman Gordon Hinkle said Tuesday.

http://www.kcra.com/news/22429988/detail.html