Proposition 9 is unjustly designed to change the existing procedures for granting parole to convicted individuals. If adopted, it will raise the waiting period for parole hearings up to fifteen years. This change will directly affect Hampig Sassounian’s case.
Hampig Sassounian has been in prison since 1982. His conviction was overturned by the United States Court of Appeal in 2001 based on major prosecutorial and jury misconduct. Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley decided to re-try the case in 2002. As a result Hampig took a plea bargain which entitles him to parole, based upon his 25 year to life sentence. Though he was denied parole at his first hearing last year he is entitled to a Parole hearing ever 2 years. If Proposition 9 were to pass he would only be eligible for a parole hearing every 15 YEARS!
Besides being patently unfair, such a Proposition would essentially return Hampig to a life imprisonment sentence, something that is unacceptable for all freedom and justice loving people who recognize that his case in many ways represented a scapegoating of our community and our nation for the monumental crimes of others.
Please don’t let Hampig essentially be once again re-sentenced to life imprisonment. On November 4, Vote No on Prop 9!
Hampig Sassounian Defense Committee