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Legislature moves to resentence up to 114 people serving life without parole under Washington’s three-strikes law By Nina Shapiro, The Seattle Times
Published: April 8, 2021, 9:15am
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A decadeslong effort came to fruition Wednesday when the Legislature passed a bill to resentence as many as 114 people serving life without parole under Washington’s three-strikes law.
Headed to Gov. Jay Inslee’s desk after a close vote in the House, Senate Bill 5164 affects those who “struck out” at least in part because of a second-degree robbery conviction, relating to a crime that generally involves no weapon or physical injury.
While such a conviction will no longer be considered a strike, whether people will remain in prison for some length of time would depend on what a judge decides based on the sentencing range for their convictions.
BY DAVID KROMAN / CROSSCUT
Originally published March 12, 2021 on Crosscut.com
When Kelly Vomacka first read that the Washington Supreme Court had struck down the law criminalizing drug possession in the state, she was in disbelief. The Blake decision, named for the woman at its center, was not at all on Vomacka’s radar. While she was peripherally aware of the case, she would not have guessed that this is where it would lead.
In this, she was not alone attorneys, advocates, lawmakers, even the lawyer who argued before the nine justices on Shannon Blake’s behalf, were all surprised that the court would take the case of a woman with drugs in her jeans pocket to such lengths.
Court’s drug possession ruling upends WA’s criminal justice system
In the Blake decision, the Washington Supreme Court voided most drug possession cases in the state. The implications will be huge.
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Washington State’s Supreme Court Building, also known as the Temple of Justice, photographed on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2020, from Heritage Park in Olympia, Wash. (Jovelle Tamayo for Crosscut)
When Kelly Vomacka first read that the Washington Supreme Court had struck down the law criminalizing drug possession in the state, she was in disbelief. The Blake decision, named for the woman at its center, was not at all on Vomacka’s radar. While she was peripherally aware of the case, she would not have guessed that this is where it would lead.
Washington statewide agency would investigate police use of force
Washington s Office of Independent Investigations would examine police actions that result in death or serious injury, in a proposal that passed the state House. Author: Lionel Donovan (KING) Updated: 7:41 PM PST March 6, 2021
OLYMPIA, Wash. Washington lawmakers are considering a proposal that would take use-of-force investigations out of the hands of law enforcement officers and turn them over to an independent agency.
HB 1267 has made its way through the House of the Washington State Legislature. The bill would create an Office of Independent Investigations to examine the use of deadly force by law enforcement.