San Francisco mayor seeks early release of brother from prison

[brooklynite]

The Hill:

San Francisco Mayor London Breed reportedly sent a letter to California Gov. Jerry Brown (D), asking him to release her brother from prison more than 20 years early.

Breed’s brother, Napoleon Brown, was sentenced to 44 years in prison for manslaughter when he pushed a young mother out of a getaway car on the Golden Gate Bridge following an armed robbery in June 2000, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

The woman was then hit by an oncoming drunk driver and died. Brown has served 18 of his 44 year sentence.

Breed asked Brown to “consider leniency” and commute her brother’s sentence.

In the letter, sent on personal stationary but referencing her role as city mayor, Breed said her brother should be released, calling it “what’s best for both Napoleon and society overall.”

[demosincebirth]

1. That's a serious crime

[Eric J in MN]

2. London Breed lied in 2000 to try to get her brother acquitted.

According to court records in the White case, in 2000 Breed provided an alibi for her brother, saying that he had been sleeping at her grandmother's house the time of the robbery and death.

http://www.ktvu.com/news/san-francisco-mayor-london-breed-asks-for-brother-s-early-prison-release-believes-in-redemption

[Ron Obvious]

4. How the Hell did she get elected after that?

Even in San Francisco.

[Bucky]

6. SanFran can still be a law & order town

Wikipedia makes it look like her appeal on the housing issue was a campaign strength.

"Housing insecurity isn’t just an abstract point of policy for me. I’ve lived it. When I was in college, we were told our home was being torn down...I have seen generations of my family, friends, and classmates leave San Francisco. Today, my housing situation is like many living in San Francisco. My home is a rent-controlled apartment...Until two months ago I still had a roommate. I’m still paying off my student loans. I drive a sixteen-year-old car and bring coupons to the store. San Francisco is experiencing an affordability crisis, and I’m right there with you."

She also seems to have pretty strong track record of working on quality of life reforms for the city's working class--improving the city's transportation and biking infrastructure, building the city's clean energy program, and getting abuseable prescription drugs out of the market. Seems like she's a pretty good liberal reformer. I mean, we all have family...

[Eric J in MN]

7. I didn't hear about that until recently.

Maybe voters didn’t know she lied to try to get her brother acquitted.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

3. She should be ashamed of herself.

[Bucky]

5. That's a pretty appalling crime.

A prisoner would have to have done a couple of miracles to warrant shortening that sentence. Robbery's one thing, but pushing a woman into oncoming traffic is the reason we have life sentences.