Proposed law would speed up release of violent criminals

HOUSTON (FOX 26) - The Texas Department of Criminal Justice calls them 3-G offenders.

“We’re talking about your murderers, your rapists, your robbers, your kidnappers, those who sexually assault our children,” said crime victims advocate Andy Kahan.

All prison inmates get what’s called "good time credits".

Prisoners who abide by the rules can get anywhere from 45 days to 60 days credit for every 30 days they serve.

But under current law violent or 3-G offenders must serve at least half of their sentences before their good time credits can be used to expedite parole proceedings.

“If I shoot and kill  you right now Randy and I get 40 years for murder I have to serve 20 years period,” Kahan said. “No good time before I can say hello to the parole board.”

But if House Bill 2120 becomes law violent offenders would be considered for parole after serving only about a fourth of their sentences and it would be done retroactively.

“When the parole board chairman testified on the bill he essentially said over 19 thousand violent offenders would be immediately eligible to be considered for parole,” said Kahan.

“He should have never been paroled,” said Dana Mielke.

Mielke is referring to 24-year-old Kiara Taylor.

Taylor was on parole when he allegedly murdered Mielke’s 19-year-old son Peter during a robbery at a pizzeria in Bellaire.

“You killed a beautiful, handsome, aspiring young man who was life to a lot of people,” Mielke said.

“Crime victims are the only unwilling participants in the criminal justice system we should make sure that they’re the ones who are given respect,” Kahan said. “They get a life sentence no good time.”

“I’ll always be left to wonder what would have happened, what would have been,” Mielke said.