SAN DIEGO (CNS) - The 2001 Santana High School shooter, who killed two students and wounded more than a dozen other victims at the Santee campus, is due for a parole hearing next month and prosecutors are making a public call Thursday for victims of the shooting to participate in the upcoming hearing.
Though Charles "Andy" Williams was sentenced to 50 years to life in state prison for the deadly March 5, 2001, shooting, a change in state law altered how juveniles tried as adults come up for parole. Williams was 15 years old when he carried out the shooting that killed 14-year-old Bryan Zuckor and 17-year-old Randy Gordon, as well as injuring 11 other students and two school staff members.
The Youthful Parole law means juveniles who receive life sentences are entitled to parole hearings no later than 25 years into their sentences.
RELATED: Santana High School shooting: 20 years later
Williams is now set for a Sept. 10 parole hearing, and victims were advised to contact the Parole Board by Aug. 26 in order to attend the hearing via video conference or telephone.
Those who would like to attend can notify the Office of Victim & Survivor Rights & Services by e-mail at victimservices@cdcr.ca.gov or by telephone at 1-877-256-6877.
"Having victim voices at hearings like this are an extremely important part of the process," San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan said. "This particular crime has hundreds of victims associated with it and it's important to us that victims are aware of their rights under the law to participate in the parole hearing if they wish to do so."
RELATED: Santana High shooting survivor reflects on the enduring impact
Additional information regarding how to be included in the hearing is available by contacting the District Attorney's Lifer Hearing Unit at 619-531-4115 or at SanDiegoDA@sdcda.org.
Copyright 2024, City News Service, Inc.
