On Wednesday, a 33-year-old man from Orange County went on a two-hour “anger”-fueled stabbing and robbing rampage that left four people dead and two wounded. On Thursday, more details about the suspect emerged, including that he is a gang member and convicted felon who managed to serve a stunningly brief sentence for a long list of serious crimes.
The mayor of the town where the suspect began his murderous spree said Thursday that the man should never have been released from prison, while local police pointed to policies pushed by left-wing politicians in recent years as the reason the convicted felon was free to carry out his horrific violence.
“Records indicate [the suspect] was sentenced to four years in state prison for 14 convictions, for drug possessions, possession of a firearm, an assault weapon and ammunition by a felon,” KABC reports. “Garden Grove Police Chief Tom DaRe said Castaneda had previously been incarcerated for possession of methamphetamine with the intention to distribute while armed with an assault weapon.”
Law enforcement officials told reporters Thursday that recent changes made in California Assembly Bill 109 (AB 109) — promoted and signed into law by Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown in 2011 — significantly shortened the felon’s sentencing. An older California law then enabled him to reduce his time served by about half, allowing him to “earn a day of credit for each day served,” KABC explains. – READ MORE