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In Victorville, a tough-on-crime councilman doesn’t talk about his felony domestic violence conviction
Victorville City Councilman Eric Negrete's seat remained empty at an October 2 meeting.
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Libby Denkmann/KPCC
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In Victorville, a tough-on-crime councilman doesn’t talk about his felony domestic violence conviction
During his reelection campaign, first-term Victorville City Councilman Eric Negrete has positioned himself as tough on crime and against many recent criminal justice reforms in California.
During his reelection campaign, first-term Victorville City Councilman Eric Negrete has positioned himself as tough on crime.
His opposition to recent criminal justice reforms in California includes criticism of Proposition 47, which reduced some non-violent felonies to misdemeanors. Negrete explained why he was against second chances for some offenders under Prop. 47 at a December city council meeting:
"When you reduce a felony to a misdemeanor and you've got homeless people violating all kinds of laws, now those laws really don't count as much as they used to," he said.
But KPCC + NPR have discovered that Negrete got his own second chance in the criminal justice system, after he was convicted of a felony domestic violence charge against his then-girlfriend in 2009.
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Read the full report in LAist.com: In Victorville, A Tough-On-Crime Councilman Doesn't Talk About His Felony Domestic Violence Conviction ]
This story first aired on KPCC. Click on the blue media player at the top of your screen to listen.
Tom Dreisbach is a reporter and producer for the NPR podcast Embedded . Libby Denkmann covers veterans and the military for KPCC/LAist.
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