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From: "Diana Block"
<dianablock2046@hotmail.com><br><br>
Greetings all,<br>
Many of you have asked what can be done in response to the outrageous
denial of parole for Theresa Cruz for the seventh time. After
consulting with her attorney, we have put together a sample letter
(attached and below) which can be faxed to the Board of Prison Terms with
copies sent to Senators Burton, Kuehl and Vasconcellos. Please feel
free to put the message into your own words. Theresa will also be
proceeding with a court appeal of her parole denial.<br><br>
I also want to let all of Theresa's supporters know that her mother,
Theresa Azochar, has been diagnosed with liver cancer. Theresa
Azochar has been a tireless fighter in support of her daughter's freedom
and that of many other incarcerated survivors of domestic violence.
The family is trying to raise funds to provide Theresa Azochar with
alternative therapies which her HMO will not provide. Please make
checks payable to "Theresa Azochar Cancer Fund" and mail
to:<br><br>
A. Martinez<br>
c/o Theresa Azochar<br>
P.O. Box 1086<br>
Alpine, CA 91903<br><br>
Thanks to all of you for your ongoing support of Theresa Cruz and her
family!<br><br>
Margarita Perez, Chair<br>
Board of Prison Terms<br>
1515 K St., Suite 600<br>
Sacramento, CA 95814<br>
FAX# - 916-445-5242<br><br>
Re: Theresa Cruz, #W-40058<br><br>
Dear Ms. Perez:<br><br>
I want to express my outrage at the denial of parole to Theresa Cruz at
her last Board hearing on October 21, 2004. There is no possible
justification for refusing to release Ms. Cruz. This decision simply
exposes the continuing and obvious arbitrariness and injustice of the
Parole Board’s proceedings!<br><br>
At her hearing, Ms. Cruz presented a clear release plan, offers of
employment and letters of reference from prison staff. She had over
four hundred community letters written in support of her release.
She had a letter strongly supporting release from the victim of her
offense. She also had a letter in support of her release from
Senator Sheila Kuehl. Yet, she was denied parole for the seventh
time!<br><br>
Commissioner Angele who presided over the hearing had little to say to
explain his denial. He pointed to her psychiatric evaluation as the
reason for denial, but the conclusion of the psychiatric evaluation was
that Ms. Cruz would “NO LONGER RESORT TO ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOR OR SEEK OUT
THE CRIMINAL ELEMENT WITHIN SOCIETY, SHOULD SHE BE PAROLED”, a statement
which clearly indicates that she is ready for release.<br><br>
Commissioner Angele also cited her original commitment offense as a
reason for denial. Let me remind you that Theresa Cruz was heavily
medicated on a prescription drug Xanax at the time of the offense, and
the victim of the offense made a full recovery from all of his
injuries. She has now served <br>
over thirteen years for this offense and was eligible for parole seven
years ago. The victim now supports her release. Under parole
guidelines, how can the original offense still be used to deny her
freedom?<br><br>
Ms. Cruz has four children and four grandchildren with whom she has
managed to maintain close ties despite her incarceration. They are
eagerly awaiting her return home. She is considered an
exemplary prisoner by the prison staff (who have written many laudatory
chronos on her behalf which were read into the record by her attorney),
and she has fulfilled all directions given to her at past parole hearings
to satisfy the Parole Board’s requirements for release.<br><br>
When the Parole Board repeatedly denies someone like Theresa Cruz
release, you lose all credibility in the public eye. I urge you in
the strongest possible terms to reverse this illogical decision and
parole Theresa Cruz immediately!<br><br>
Sincerely,<br><br>
<br><br>
Cc: <x-tab> </x-tab>Senator John
Burton<x-tab> </x-tab><x-tab> </x-tab>415-557-1252
(fax)<br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>Senator
Sheila
Kuehl<x-tab> </x-tab><x-tab> </x-tab>916-324-4823
(fax)<br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>Senator
John
Vasconcellos<x-tab> </x-tab>916-324-0283
(fax)<br><br>
<br><br>
<br>
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<font size=3 color="#FF0000">The Freedom Archives<br>
522 Valencia Street<br>
San Francisco, CA 94110<br>
(415) 863-9977<br>
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