Clemency Recommended for Two More Three-Strikers

The Washington State Board of Clemency and Pardons voted yesterday to recommend release for three-strikers Michael Bridges and Alkareem Shadeed, proving that it was willing to reconsider more than just one three-strikes case. (In December, it did the same for Stevan Dozier.) Now it's up to the governor to decide.

Clearly, the support of King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg was key for all the men. And he said yesterday that intends to bring more three-strikes cases before the board. At the same time, he said recently that he's going to start trying more juveniles as adults, which seems like a step in the other direction. One thing that three-strikes cases has taught us is that people can change--especially when they commit crimes when very young. It's sad to think about people like Barry Massey, who was locked up for life (before the three-strikes law came to pass) for a crime he committed at 13.