WOMEN WITH DATES OR SEEKING CLEMENCY
Peter Siggins
Legal Affairs Secretary to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814
RE Sandra Lawrence, Diane Catanho, Dana Hill
Nora Andrade, Henrietta Briones Coco Quincel,
Genieve Yniguez, Flozelle Woodmore, Emily Cinceros
and Nikki Diamond
Dear Governor Schwarzenegger,The women whose names are listed above have all been found suitable for parole by the Board of Prison Terms (BPT), and their cases will soon reach your desk for final approval.. They have all served many years in prison and done everything possible to pay their debt to society and rehabilitate themselves. None of these women poses a threat to society, and in fact will all prove a positive asset to their respective communities upon their release.
Recently you stated that you are going to allow the BPT to do its job, and I urge you to do just that and allow these women to parole. However I am aware that you have not
been following the recommendations of the BPT in approximately 2/3 of the cases that have come before you.. I am concerned that you are following in the footsteps of your predecessor, Governor Gray Davis, and making parole a political issue.As you know the BPT is extremely cautious and grants very few paroles. The fact that most of these women have been found suitable for parole more than once is a clear indication that they pose no threat to anyone. Furthermore, all female lifers have a recidivism rate of less than 1%. These women are literally the safest bet in Corrections and the easiest way to reduce the insane amounts of money that we spend to imprison Californians.
Upholding the decisions of the BPT in regard to these women is fiscally sound, safe for our communities, and the right thing to do for all concerned.
Sincerely,_______________________ Name
________________________Street address
________________________City, State, ZIP
SEEKING CLEMENCY FOR HELEN LOHEAC
Mrs. Loheac is an 81 year old woman who has been incarcerated for 13 years at the California Institution for Women. She is in very poor health and is transported to the Medical Center 3 times per week for kidney dialysis. The trip is exhausting for her and she is often badly bruised from the chains that she must wear all day long.Helen was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison on a case in which no crime actually occurred, and no one was killed or injured. Helen's son, Thomas Torchia, was in the county jail, and he approached a jailhouse informant to solicit the murder of a witness in his pending criminal case. Helen's involvement in the case was the result of threats and coercion by her son, and that involvement consisted only of giving some money to the undercover officer her son sent to her home. Helen had been intimidated by her own son for many years, and she was actually beaten by him on a few occasions. At this point in time, she is very tired, somewhat confused, and not completely certain what crime, if any, she actually committed.
Based on public pressure, Governor Davis has sent this case to the Board of Prison Terms for a clemency investigation. The release of Helen Loheac would save the Department of Corrections a few hundred thousand dollars per year, and Helen would reside at Crossroads, a re-entry home for women located in Claremont., California. Clemency for Helen Loheac is a decision that is both compassionate and fiscally sensible. Please let the Governor know that you support Helen's release.
WRITE, CALL OR EMAIL:
GOVERNOR'S OFFICE (916) 445-4341 governor@governor.ca.gov
STATE CAPITOL
SACRAMENTO, CA 95814
FAX: (916) 445-4633