San Luis Obispo – The California Department of Corrections and
Rehabilitation’s Board of Parole Hearings (BPH) issued a grant of parole
today for convicted killer and former Charles Manson associate Bruce
Davis, 69, during a parole consideration hearing at California Men’s
Colony. Today’s decision was the result of Davis' 27th parole
suitability hearing.
The BPH issued a grant of parole to Davis in
January 2010 because of his positive adjustment, record of no recent
disciplinary problems, and for successfully completing academic and
vocational education and self-help programs. However, the parole grant
was reversed by former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in June 2010, who
concluded Davis was still dangerous because of an evaluator’s diagnosis
of a personality disorder, Davis’ conformist tendencies, and his
sporadic participation in substance-abuse programs over the years.
Davis
challenged Governor Schwarzenegger’s reversal of his parole grant in
Los Angeles County Superior Court, which ruled against Schwarzenegger
and vacated his decision. In 2012, California’s Second District Court
of Appeal upheld the Governor’s reversal of the January 28, 2010, grant,
ruling that the Governor’s concerns were justified and supporting his
conclusion that Davis was still dangerous.
Davis appeared before
the panel today. The suitability finding is subject to a 120-day
decision review period. If the grant is finalized at the conclusion of
decision review, the Governor may conduct an independent review of the
decision. Under California law, the Governor may reverse, modify, affirm
or decline to review the Board’s decision.
Davis was sent to
state prison on April 21, 1972, with a life sentence from Los Angeles
County for two counts of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit
murder and robbery. He was convicted for the July 25, 1969, murder of
Gary Hinman and the murder of Donald “Shorty” Shea sometime in August
1969.
