State Denies First Plea Under Inmate Medical Parole Law
On Tuesday, the California Board of Parole Hearings denied medical parole to a 42-year-old quadriplegic Corcoran State Prison inmate. The hearing was the first under a new state law that grants release to inmates deemed permanently medically incapacitated and not a threat to public safety. John Peck -- commissioner of the parole board -- said the inmate "would pose an unreasonable threat to public safety" because the inmate could use other individuals to carry out his threats. The inmate's medical bills average $625,000 annually. The state has scheduled medical parole hearings in June for five more inmates.
- "In 1st CA Medical Parole Case, Inmate Rejected" (Lagos, San Francisco Chronicle, 5/25).
- "Calif. Denies First Medical Parole" (Thompson, AP/Ventura County Star, 5/24).