More than 2,000 New Jersey inmates released to slow spread of coronavirus in prisons

More than 2,000 inmates in New Jersey were released Wednesday in an attempt to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus in the state’s prison system — almost a month after the state passed one of the first bills in the U.S. to reduce sentences because of the pandemic.

Liz Velez, a New Jersey Department of Corrections spokesperson, told NBC News in an email that 2,261 adults nearing the end of their prison sentences were released early Wednesday amid rising coronavirus cases in some state prisons.

Proponents have cast the new law as a necessary way to save lives after officials failed to protect dozens of inmates and several staff who died with COVID-19.

The law knocks up to eight months off sentences, while excluding people convicted of murder, aggravated sexual assault and “repetitive, compulsive" sex offenders. No other state has passed similar legislation, according to the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey.

About 12% of all state inmates are expected to be released on Wednesday as the result of a law signed by Murphy in October.

About 3,000 inmates, close to 20% of all people in New Jersey prisons, are expected to be released under the law in coming months.

Source: https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/new-jersey/2020/11/03/nj-covid-state-will-release-some-inmates-with-coronavirus/6140639002/

Source: https://www.nj.com/news/2020/11/nj-expected-today-to-release-thousands-of-prisoners-early-statewide.html

Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/more-2-000-new-jersey-inmates-released-slow-spread-coronavirus-n1246388

Visit My Website
https://bcbegley.com

Watch Me On YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGoUf-QQTlTN-BIh3ERCE9A?view_as=subscriber

Follow Me On Twitter
https://twitter.com/BC_News1

Watch Me On Rumble
https://rumble.com/c/c-280191

Follow Me On Gab
https://gab.com/BC_Begley