California's Complete and Utter Disrespect for Crime Victims
Governor Newsom's Office Characterizes CJLF's Lawsuit as Political Rhetoric Despite Countless Stories of Real Victims and Real Tragedies
The Criminal Justice Legal Foundation is pushing back against the Governor Newsom's office for characterizing its recent lawsuit as mere “political rhetoric.” The organization is emphasizing that the legal challenge is fundamentally about protecting public safety and honoring the promises made to victims and their families. It highlights the tragic 2009 murder of 8-year-old Sandra Cantu in Tracy, California, whose body was found in a suitcase in an irrigation pond after an extensive search. Her killer was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole (LWOP), a punishment the state promised would mean permanent incarceration for the most heinous crimes. The post argues that victims like Sandra are not abstract political talking points — their lives mattered, their families’ pain is real, and the sentences imposed must be upheld.
The CJLF is fighting Newsom and new parole board regulations that could open the door to early release for some LWOP inmates and other violent offenders. The lawsuit exists to ensure justice for victims like Sandra Cantu and to prevent the erosion of sentences intended to keep the most dangerous criminals behind bars for life. To learn more about CJLF, the lawsuit and more on Sandra’s story, see the links below.
