A documentary depicts the use of Florida’s two-strike law, sending those who are convicted for a repeat offense, to life in prison.
Frontline’s documentary program sheds light on the Florida two strikes law, called “Prison Release Reoffender law,” with some of the strictest sentences repeat felony offenders, according to Frontline.
In the documentary a young man was profiled, had a history of petty thefts, which included stealing a drill from a Hardware store.
His name is Mark Jones and within 3 years of his release, he attempted to grab the car keys of 69-year old Eunice Hopkins’s. She screamed driving way during the attempt, while Jones fled the scene.
He was eventually apprehended and offered a 15-year plea deal for attempted carjacking. Jones decided to have a jury trial, the prosecutors decided to invoke a Florida statute two strikes law, reported the article.
“My sentence is life without the possibility of parole. So I’m in here till I die,” Jones said from prison scene in the documentary according to Taddonio.
In Florida, it seems parole is rare occurrences; if a person is released from prison within three years of their release, the two-strike law becomes an option. Florida has legally abolished parole.
Florida has one of the strictest mandatory minimum laws, which increases a prison term for people found guilty of certain repeat offenses – in Jones’ case, life in prison. His fate was sealed when a jury found him guilty, noted the story.
According to the article, Eunice Hopkins who jones tried to take her car keys found out had been sentenced to life without parole; she reached out to the prosecutors and said, “No, This is too much! He’s a young man!”
Jones talks about the Hopkins incident and says, “Anything I say about the severity of my sentence, I don’t mean to minimize the impact. She has every right to, you know, have a normal day. And, uh, so I’m sorry, from the bottom of my heart.”
Thousands of incarcerated people are serving maximum sentences under Florida’s two strikes law.
Jones has multiple state and federal appeals on his case unsuccessful and now more than 10 years later is still in prison trying to make a difference.
“I’m a law clerk at the prison law library. You got a lot of guys in here … they can’t even write an essay, you know, let alone put a brief together for the district court of appeal, and they need help.” Jones said in Frontlines Documentary.
