TULARE, — A 38-year-old Tulare County man was found guilty of a third strike under California law and given a life sentence.
But according to Tim Ward, the district attorney for Tulare County, Luis Nuno will probably not serve his entire sentence in jail because of Proposition 57.
Ward says that his sentence can be substantially reduced under the existing laws.
Nuno received a sentence ranging from 56 years to life in prison for making threats to harm people while carrying a knife during his third offense.
Deputies from the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office were called to a Pixley store on March 6, 2023.
When they got there, they discovered Nuno had asked two individuals who were entering the building why they were following him.
The victims told Nuno they weren’t, according to the DA. Then Nuno brandished a knife and made a threat to stab them.
Nuno was taken into custody soon after.
Nuno was convicted in November 2023 of two counts of felony criminal threats in a court trial. The special claims against Nuno included the use of a weapon, threatening grave bodily damage with a lethal weapon, having prior major convictions, and having prior strikes.
However, Nuno’s criminal threats are not regarded by Penal Code 422 (PC422) as a “violent” offense, hence Proposition 57 will categorize him as a “non-violent” prisoner.
Nuno will be eligible for early release after serving his full three-year sentence on count 1, according to Ward.
“It’s not authentic, it’s not genuine, and it’s really a disservice to victims and families,” he stated.
He claims he wants to expose the real story of what really occurs when a criminal is found guilty in specific circumstances like this one and given a life sentence.
He calls it a work of legal fiction.
“It’s not authentic, it’s not genuine, and it’s really a disservice to victims and families,” says Ward. “I think that we need to have an honest and open dialogue about justice in California, not just from the perspective of the various you know initiatives or laws.”
According to Ward, hundreds of early release motions from prisoners serving jail sentences are regularly attended by prosecutors.
He claims that it is unjust for the state’s prosecutors and victims to battle for justice in the courts, only to have offenders released back onto the streets and allowed to perpetrate additional crimes under Prop 57.
In a different instance, Nuno was convicted of stealing apparel and an Apple tablet from a Tulare gym in August 2021.
In addition, Nuno has a history of burglaries in Tulare County from 2013 and 2014.
