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Relatives of Sgt. Owen urge ‘no’ on Prop. 57

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Tania Owen, the wife of slain Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Steve Owen speaks at an event in San Dimas organized by the Professional Peace Officers Association.
Tania Owen, the wife of slain Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Steve Owen, speaks at an event in San Dimas organized by the Professional Peace Officers Association.

SAN DIMAS  – Relatives of the law enforcement officer recently gunned down in Lancaster added their voices Tuesday to the opposition of Proposition 57, which would provide parole opportunities for “non-violent” offenders.

Tania and Millie Owen, the wife and mother of Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Steve Owen, blasted the proposal as a pipeline for putting potentially violent felons back on the streets.

Owen was killed Oct. 5 by a parolee while responding to a burglary call in Lancaster.

“Governor (Jerry) Brown, I’m calling you out on this,” Tania Owen said. “As far as I’m concerned, Governor Brown you are the great deceiver. How dare you think that Californians are not smart enough to inform themselves and know that you’re lying to them.”

Millie Owen said her son “was murdered in cold blood.”

“Before I even got here today I knew this (proposition) was a lie,” she said.

The proposition, which is backed heavily by Brown, would allow parole consideration for people convicted of “non-violent” felonies after serving the minimum amount of time required as part of their sentence and authorize the awarding of sentence credits for rehabilitation, good behavior and education. It would also give judges the final say over whether juvenile offenders at least 14 years old should be prosecuted as adults.

Brown and other backers of the measure insist it will put an emphasis on rehabilitation, reducing the likelihood of felons to commit new crimes. They also deny that it will put violent offenders back on the streets, and even non- violent offenders eligible under the proposition would have to prove they are rehabilitated and do not present a danger to the public before they are released.

Supporters of the measure deny allegations that the measure would result in felons being automatically released from prison or authorize parole for violent offenders.

“Overcrowded and unconstitutional conditions led the U.S. Supreme Court to order the state to reduce its prison population,” Brown and other supporters wrote in a ballot argument in favor of the measure. “Now, without a common-sense, long-term solution, we will continue to waste billions and risk a court-ordered release of dangerous prisoners. This is an unacceptable outcome that puts Californians in danger — and this is why we need Prop 57.”

But opponents who gathered in San Dimas at an event organized by the Professional Peace Officers Association disputed that the measure will save money or improve public safety. [View video of the event’s speakers here.]

“I was driving in my car the other day and heard Governor Brown spinning this Prop 57 as it was a good measure, that it was positive, it was going to save money. That’s also a lie,” said David Kling, the father of Palm Springs police Officer Lesley Zerebny, one of two officers killed Oct. 8, also by a parolee.

Read more about Proposition 57 at http://voterguide.sos.ca.gov/en/propositions/57/.

Previous related stories:

Law enforcement officials blast Prop. 57

Thousands bid farewell to Sgt. Steve Owen

Parolee charged with murdering Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Sergeant

Suspect executed sergeant after wounding him, sheriff says

Sheriff’s sergeant slain in Lancaster

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40 comments for "Relatives of Sgt. Owen urge ‘no’ on Prop. 57"

  1. I WORRY THAT SOME VICTIM’S WILL BE AFFECTED BY PROP # 57. BECAUSE OF BEING TERRORIZED EVEN SET-UP OR GIVEN A BAD DRUG, THEY MAY ACT OUT VIOLENTLY TRYING TO PROTECT THEMSELVES. I KNIW A VICTIM THAT BLOCKS THE DOOR WITH A REFRIGERATOR OR SOMETHING HEAVY AT NIGHT IN FEAR THAT THEY WILL BREAK IN., AND AVOIDING GOING OUT ALONE, BUT TRYING TO GO ON WITH YOUR LIFE, BUT SOMETIMES COMING FACE TO FACE WITH THESE BULLIES AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT. I’M THINKING THEY TARGET PEOPLE ON SSI, AND THEIR GETTING AWAY WITH IT. HOW DO WE CATCH THESE GUYS THAT DO THIS??

  3. @ Tania & Millie… Personally, I am sorry for your husband and son’s death and execution. However, we all make mistakes and need to bridge the community, former offenders and law enforcement together in order to make it a safer community. His death will not be in vain as far as AV-East Kern Second Chance is concerned.

    • Unless a mans Heart has changed you do nothing but change appearance on the outside…they will do whatever it takes to get back on the streets again and they will not all be rehabilitated…Sorry, but if you do the crime you deserve the time, it’s up to our government to figure out how to keep criminals behind bars not release them back into society. The only rehabilitated prisoners I have heard of have become Christians while in Prison when a good Pastor came and gave them the Gospel..they had a true change of heart…but those who just want out will do anything the “state” requires to get out, but they will still be a danger to society.

    • This man was one of YOUR clients, Michelle. One of your people murdered this deputy and all you did and can do is make excuses for him, shrug your shoulders and stab”we all make mistakes”.

      There are bad people in this world that none of your pandering to, coddling, pacifying and excuse making is ever going to change.

      You owe an apology to the Owen family and the people of your community.

  5. Yes on Prop 57!!!! Takes away District Attorney’s Discretion on filing Juveniles as Adult Offenders. They should all go through Juvenile Court and be assessed by a Judge as to whether that minor is Fit to stay in Juvy Court or be sent to Adult Court. At least Juvenile Court is about rehabilitation.

    • I to will be voting Yes to Prop 57. Our prison system has been a failure at best. If you follow the money trail you will see that it is the peace officer and correctional officer unions who oppose this bill. All this means is they are aware of the negative impact to their job security as well as their generous pensions.

  7. There was AB109 that put more inmates out on the streets as well as Prop 47 to supposedly alleviate overcrowding, release non violent offenders and offer all kinds of more diversion programs.

    Because of all that, repeat felons, parolees and probationers are still committing crime and NOT going to prison because the fear of returning to jail or prison is rendered moot.

    I have a hard time believing that now we need another proposition to release more felons because the problem is with the justice system….and not the criminals terrorizing their community.

    No on 57. The AV times is full of articles about parolees either absconding or out committing violent and fatal crimes. It’s not just about Sgt. Owen, it’s about your entire community not having to deal with perpetual felonious bottom feeders.

    • The fact that a hog at the public trough like you is against it is enough reason to be for it.

      That said, our prison system has ballooned to five times the size and expense and all that was accomplished is providing hogs like you with sinecure jobs as prison guards. No impact on crime, no improvement of society, just safe jobs for ugly people. Time to roll it back.

      Yes on 57.

  8. Gov. Brown is a deceiver? At least he is not an animal like Donald Trump. I will not base my vote on what the family of a police officer tells me, stop pushing stories to make a point, sick of this nonsense.

  10. So what should the sentences be for cops who kill innocent people I mean most of the time all they do is lose a job and they don’t go to jail I’m not talking about African-Americans I’m talking about all people in general that has been killed by Officer for no reason

  11. I wouldn’t base my vote on a family who lost a loved one to a parolee and who hates all criminals because of it, they are clearly biased due to their tragic loss. The “bad check cashers” and “pot dealers” and “shoplifters” who are serving long prison sentences are the ones who would benefit from this bill, and we need that prison space for violent offenders.

    • Prop. 57 allows violent, dangerous and adult career criminals to be released from prison early, including those convicted of:
      Rape by intoxication
      Rape of an unconscious person
      Human trafficking involving sex act with minors
      Drive-by shooting
      Assault with a deadly weapon
      Taking a hostage
      Domestic violence involving trauma
      Supplying a firearm to a gang member
      Lewd acts upon a child
      Hate crime causing physical injury
      Failing to register as a sex offender
      Arson causing great bodily injury
      Felon obtaining a firearm
      Discharging a firearm on school grounds
      False imprisonment of an elder
      * Partial list

    • If the bill had been properly written instead of poorly thought out, the violent offenders would stay in jail while the non violent offenders would get out. If this bill actually had public safety in mind instead of saving money, it would have been written differently. This is the third bill concerning early release where they say only non violent offenders will be eligible and it’s the third time they’ve lied to us. We saw what happened with AB109 and prop 47 tethered another bill doing exactly the same thing as those two.

      • Let me get this straight – are you saying that non-violent offenders doing time for their current offence could be released even if they were previously convicted of very serious violent offences in their past?

        • That’s exactly what happened with AB109 and with the way this bill is written, this one as well. They will.only look at the primary offense for which the person is currently in in jail for. Gone will be any penalty enhancements, which means so called non violent offenders will be released years earlier than they should have been.

          • Hmm.. I guess cuts have to come from somewhere… better to release those who’s current crime is non-violent then those in for a violent crime. Unless we build more prisons we have to lower the prison population somehow.. I guess this bill was the best they could come up with.

    • Im amazed how we have become a nation of lawlessness.the laws are there, if you break them, you get into trouble.
      Why dont we make it legal to, write bad checks,sell pot and shoplift?
      Mike brown had a criminal record, robbed a liquor store.tried to kill a cop,but all you talk about is, innocent black guy gets killed by cop.
      Crime will go up, if they know theres no punishment.and as far as cops killing innocent people, give it a rest.join the force, spend a year in los angeles, chicago, detriot.then speak about something you know about.

  13. The problem is that sentences are handed out like candy. The punishment does not fit the crime. Start sentencing people justly and the problem of early release goes away.

  14. My vote is yes.. You cant JUDGE all prisoners on other peoples actions… Not all prisoners are violent and deserve to be released early to be home with their families and should not be punished on other peoples actions… I have a love one in prison and he deserves to be home he been gone since 2007… Please dont judge all parolees on actions that were taken by other stuid parolees…

  15. Tania I totally agree with you it’s definitely a NO VOTE but remember brown is also a Bama brown nose and is a donor of Clinton this a a deadly situation for all and must be stopped as well brown must be removed from our state capital he is very corrupted a liar a massive thief and I blame brown and dumbo and the Clinton’s for this horrific killing of steve California must wake up and now we all must vote trump in he supports all the police military and on brown is odumbo puppet and Clintonville will carry it on it I’ll only get much worse VOTE NO ON PROP 57 AND A FEW OTHERS WE THE PEOPLE MUST STOP THIS AND NOW

  16. Sentences need to be served. Reduce the prison population by deporting criminal foreign nationals before they reoffend. Jerry Brown has it wrong. My vote is NO on 57.

    • I don’t agree with deporting them before they have served their sentence because then there is no punishment, commit a crime get deported walked back across the boarder and commit another crime and over and over. The best thing to do is stop making the prison look like Hotel California, these people have it better than us on the outside. And for the foreigners build a prison that is like those in Mexico that right there would save California money on all the extras these prisoners get in Prison.

      • I don’t agree with deporting them before they have served either – but certainly do it before they have the chance to RE-offend. There is no reason for paroling a foreign national onto to U.S. streets.

        • you need to be better informed! any one who is not a US Citizen is deported as soon as they are eligible to be released, and why are you targeting “Foreign nationals” when there are White, Black and all cultures in prison that are released back into the streets of the “U.S.” ? IGNORANCE!!! AT ITS BEST!!!