Activists pressure governor to release California inmates

In the middle of the COVID pandemic – 19 , “Amalia Bertel”, fights because her son César, who is about to meet 30 years old, get out of Lancaster State Prison.

“I don’t want to die and know that my son will continue in prison,” said Amalia, a resident of the city ​​of Garden Grove, to Real America News. “Many prisoners are dying inside prisons and I don’t want jail to become a death sentence for my son.”

In 085, Caesar of 17 years and three other adolescents were accused of participating in a gang-related murder attempt, in the Shalimar neighborhood, in the city of Costa Mesa, in Orange County.

“What neighborhood are you from?” His son and three other young people allegedly asked the alleged rivals who fled the place. However, at that moment, a girl was shot in the torso with pellets from a shotgun while she was on the ground. The victim survived the attack.

“César Bertel” (fictitious name of Amalia’s son) He was charged as the hit-and-run driver and convicted of conspiracy, attempted murder in the first degree, and various other crimes, including terrorism and causing serious bodily injury, even though he did not fire the shots.

“He was sentenced from 50 years to life imprisonment; later in 2017 there was a review of his case, but the prosecutor did not want to take away his life sentence. On two occasions we went to the Supreme Court where a judge told the prosecutor that he should give my son a fair sentence, “said the wife of 57 years. “He told him that if he didn’t offer him a reasonable offer, he could pass the sentence.”

After some legal battles, the sentence was reduced to 20 years in prison, of which he has already purged 13 Behind the bars.

“With this pandemic, I hope they give him parole soon; I want to appeal the sentence, but I no longer have money to pay a lawyer, the first one we hired asked me to put $ 35, 000 at the table and told me not to worry, that my son was never going to go to jail, “said the mother. “Then, time passed, the lawyer did not answer me and my son was let down the full weight of the law.”

Finally César was sentenced as an adult in Orange County Superior Court, Central Justice Center.

Some of the inconsistencies and questions the mother asks is how her son received a bigger sentence; while the person who fired the weapon was punished with 40 years in prison.

“How can you explain that whoever did not shoot has received a greater punishment than another?” Asked the woman who participated in a protest over the weekend, in front of the State Prison of Lancaster, where her son is being held.

“I believe that under the AB Law 57 my son qualifies to get out of jail. ”

Approved on 2016, AB law 57 emphasizes the responsibility of inmates to assume their own rehabilitation with opportunities to earn credits for sustained good behavior, as well as participation in programs and activities inside the prison.

The measure also increases the parole consideration for non-violent offenders who have served the full term of the sentence for their principal offense; In addition, inmates must demonstrate that their release to the community would not represent an unreasonable risk of violence.

“My son has gone to school, works in the prison kitchen, and when I was happy because they could have given him parole next May , now they say we will have to wait until 2023 or 2025 “, said Mrs. Amalia

” In his case, it seems that they are not taking into account that he was arrested as a minor and tried as an adult since 2008. I am afraid that I may die inside the prison; I don’t want to die without him being free and giving him a hug. ”