Any person with an ounce of sense would answer that it is indeed part of the time to which a felon is sentenced.

Which is, of course, why the Colorado Supreme Court is considering the issue in relation to a voting rights suit on behalf of Colorado felons on parole.

The state Supreme Court has agreed to consider a case that could determine whether parolees can vote in Colorado.

In an announcement late Monday, the court said it would review a ruling by a Denver District Court judge who upheld a state law prohibiting Colorado's nearly 6,000 parolees from voting.

Judge Michael Martinez had concluded convicted felons haven't completed their sentences until their parole ended, therefore those on parole aren't eligible to vote.

The American Civil Liberties Union appealed. It had sued on behalf of two nonprofit groups and Michael Danielson of Fort Collins, who was ordained a pastor while in prison on drug and theft charges. Danielson, who now runs a ministry for released prisoners, said restoring parolees' voting rights would help them with the transition.

In their appeal, attorneys argued that under the state Constitution, prisoners' voting rights should be restored when they are released from prison, even if they are still on parole.

Kristen Hubbell, a spokeswoman for Attorney General John Suthers, said the state will defend the law.

Seems pretty clear to me -- you have been sentenced to 25 years in prison. you are givn parole after 15 years. Your sentence runs for another 10 years. Duh! No shit! Where is the ambiguity that the courts need to adjudicate?

Now maybe Rev. Danielson has a valid point. Maybe the restoration of voting rights would help felons reintegrate. But that is a decision to be made by the legislature, not the courts.

But if the Colorado Supreme Court DOES rule contrary to sense, reason, and the commonly understood definition of the word "sentence", there remains a solution out there for the Colorado legislature. Eliminate the possibility of parole completely by requiring that all felons serve 100% of the term to which they are sentenced.

Posted by: Greg at 10:53 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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