I understand your concern. I was a witness in the second 1996 trial of Sydney Thieszen, who murdered his step sister in 1986 and molested her dead body. He was convicted of 1st degree murder and sentenced to life without parole.
Four years ago the SCOTUS ruled that such sentences were cruel and unusual punishment. There has been a lot of legal dancing since then. Knowing his background and the information from some of my former students, who were guards in his wing, and the two psychiatrist who testified that he is so mentally deranged and dangerous he should never be released into the general population, I obtained a CHP.
On Dec 9, 2016, the NE Supreme Court remanded the case back to the District Court of York, Judge Stecker presiding, for "post sentencing relief" and re-sentencing. I have the printout of the ruling. It states that the "State v. Castaneda" says little about the likelihood that Thieszen's life sentence would be commuted and does NOT change the discretionary nature of a grant of commutation.
I believe his hatred of women, branded into him by his teenage mother's vile actions will, as predicted by the psychiatrists, manifest itself in attacks on women IF his sentence is commuted to time served. My CHP renewal time arrives this November.
This legal dancing has been going on for 30 years! 30 YEARS! That is insane!
