Legal News

Sanchez paroled after 23 years

By Richard Binder

In 1985, Rosie Sanchez was convicted of arson for a fire that killed a person sleeping inside a clothing store and sentenced to 25 years to life. Last week, after maintaining her innocence through the 23 years she spent in prison, she was granted parole.

Prosecutors argued at the time that she had a financial motive for burning down a competitor's business. But last month the case's judge, Sam Bubrick, had urged the governor to allow Sanchez's release in a letter. "The jury's decision in her trial has always continued to haunt me because it was one of the few times in my 59 years as a lawyer that I think justice was not served," wrote Bubrick.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger took no action by Thursday's deadline to block the state parole board's recommendation that Sanchez be released. 

Full story here.

Full post as published by Legal Pad | LA on March 15, 2010 (boomark / email).