COLUMBIA, SC (WBTW) – Supporters of a bill that would shorten the prison sentences of some violent criminals packed a South Carolina House subcommittee hearing Thursday. Current state law requires “no parole” criminals to serve at least 85 percent of their sentences, but this bill would lower that to 65 percent. It would also allow inmates, after serving at least 15 years, to petition every two years for their sentences to be reduced.
Erica Felder, who has a family member in prison and is with a group called “Hearts for Inmates”, told the House subcommittee, “We feel like this bill will not compromise public safety. It would also help as far as saving taxpayers money, and also giving the second chances for those who never even had a first chance.”
Cindy Quattlebaum, whose son Barry is serving an 85-percent sentence for a DUI that resulted in death, told lawmakers, “According to Barry, the 85 percent is interpreted within the prison culture as license to misbehave. Mr. Jon Ozmint, past director of the Department of Corrections, wisely said, ‘If you take away all hope from men they act like men with no hope.'”
But 7th Circuit Solicitor Barry Barnette is fighting the bill. “We’re talking serious crimes here. We’re talking rape, manslaughter, burglary first, armed robbery, all those offenses are included with this in 85 percent,” he says.
He says crime is down in Cherokee and Spartanburg counties because these violent criminals are off the streets and serving 85 percent of their sentences. “I know they went in there presenting, ‘Well, they’re going to be better when they come out.’ Unfortunately, that’s not the way it works out. And we have repeat offenders time and time again that people are getting injured by,” he said after the hearing.
The subcommittee ran out of time and did not vote on the bill. The bill is also coming up against the May 1 crossover deadline, when a bill has to have passed in either the House or Senate to have a realistic chance of passing this year. But subcommittee chairman Rep. David Weeks said if there’s enough support for the bill it’s possible it could be attached to another sentencing reform bill that will have passed the Senate by May 1.