State Senator Jim Nielsen (R-Gerber), former Chair of the California Board of Prison Terms, issued the following statement today regarding the Three-Judge Panel Court Order:

“This court order is tragic; it turns our justice system upside down.

“The Three-Judge Panel is granting the Governor’s request authorizing early release of felons sentenced under the voter-approved Three Strikes Law, and provides for accelerating the release of ‘lifers’ including convicted murders and kidnappers.

“Both the court and the Brown administration are complicit in the creation of this disastrous new system that will result in the early release of many serious and violent inmates. It is even more troubling that these are the exact inmates that the Brown administration and Legislature deemed too dangerous to be ‘realigned’ to local communities just two years ago. 

“Once released, these dangerous felons will threaten our local communities, where residents are already suffering from increased crime and where police agencies are overburdened.”