New proposed law could mean immediate parole eligibility for over 20,000 violent offenders

HOUSTON - "Let’s say you get 50 years for murder, you have to do 25 flat calendar years before, you can say hello to the parole board," said Andy Kahan with Crime Stoppers.

For decades, crime victims and their families thought that the person who forever changed their lives would at least serve half of their prison sentence.

"I’ll never get over it. I just try to get through it," said David Schwartz.

On Sunday April 11, David and Debbie Schwartz did what they’ve done every April 11 for 27 years now, visit a southwest side dead-end street.

"On April 11, 1994, my son and another child was shot and killed by Chiron Francis," Schwartz said.

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The journey to justice for the Schwartz’s took more than two decades.

"It took 23 years for my wife and I to get justice because Chiron was on the run for 20 years," said Schwartz.

In November of 2017, Chiron Francis was sentenced to 75 years in prison. He will be 71 when he is eligible for parole.

If House Bill 1805 passes, Francis will be in his 50s when he becomes parole eligible.

I don’t even like to think about it," Schwartz said. "That’s not justice. I think that’s an injustice."

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So how many violent prisoners would automatically become parole eligible if House Bill 1805 becomes law?

"Close to 24,000 violent offenders, including almost 5,800 convicted murderers and more than 7,800 sex offenders," Kahan said.