Santa Fe, NM – Today, Representative Paul Pacheco pre-filed "Lilly's Law," legislation to reform New Mexico's existing "three strikes" law. Recent tragedies show that the current law has been ineffective in closing the legal revolving door that has allowed dangerous career criminals out of jail free to commit further acts of violence. Enacting the remedies included in Lilly's Law will help to keep people like the ones responsible for the deaths of Lilly Garcia, Officer Gregg Benner, and Officer Daniel Webster in prison and out of New Mexico's communities.
"As a retired police officer, I have seen first-hand the devastating consequences of early release programs that allow violent career criminals back on the streets," said Pacheco. "Lilly's Law will better protect New Mexicans from the most violent among us who have repeatedly demonstrated a total disregard for human life."
Veronica Rael-Garcia, Lilly Garcia's mother, issued the following statement on Pacheco's bill:
"On behalf of my family, we want to thank Representatives Paul Pacheco and Nate Gentry for proposing these necessary changes to make our city and state safer from these violent repeat criminals. I can never bring Lilly back but we can try to prevent this tragedy from happening to another mother and family. Now my Lilly's spirit will be able to live on, not only with our family but also with Lilly's Law."
New Mexico's current three strikes law has been on the books since 1994. To date, no criminals have been charged, let alone convicted under this law. The list of the crimes making a violent convicted offender eligible for mandatory life sentencing is excessively narrow. Most violent criminals prosecuted under the existing law would likely already be serving life sentences before the three strikes statute would apply. As a result, prosecutors never use the current law.
Lilly's Law will expand the list of offenses that would qualify violent repeat offenders for mandatory life sentencing under the three strikes law to include crimes in which the perpetrator commits a violent act or shows a propensity for violence. It will also broaden the scope of some of the provisions in the existing law. By expanding the list of crimes qualifying violent offenders for prosecution under the three strikes law, criminals who exhibit violent tendencies can be more appropriately sentenced.
"Lilly's Law is not a silver bullet, but it is one piece of a broader puzzle. It will provide the judicial system with a more effective tool for reducing violent crime in New Mexico," said Pacheco.
The Courts, Corrections and Justice Interim Committee of the Legislature endorsed the proposal earlier this year.
