Massachusetts activists call for passage of “three strikes bill” denying parole to repeat violent offenders

E-mail | Print | Comments () 07/11/2012 6:43 PM

Bill Greene/Globe Staff

Les Gosule, father of slain Melissa Gosule, implored lawmakers to pass "Melissa's Bill" during a press conference at the Garden of Peace outside the State House.

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By Adam Sege, Globe Correspondent

Standing in a memorial garden steps from the State House, supporters of the “three-strikes” bill that would rule out parole for serial violent offenders urged lawmakers Wednesday to adopt the law before the current legislative session ends later this month.

Les Gosule, whose daughter Melissa Gosule was raped and killed in 1999 by someone convicted of 27 crimes, expressed frustration that the bill had not yet passed a conference committee.

“I’m getting some great hugs, but I’m not getting the bill,” he said.

Versions of the bill have passed in the Senate and House of Representatives, but a conference committee has not yet ironed out differences between the two versions.

The legislation is commonly referred to as a “three-strikes” law, because it would rule out parole for those convicted in three violent felonies.

Gosule rejected that characterization, which evokes a controversial California law, saying the bill in Massachusetts narrowly targets violent offenders.

State Representative James J. Dwyer, a Woburn Democrat, agreed.

“We’re talking the worst of the worst,” Dwyer said.

Dwyer invoked the memory of John Maguire, a Woburn police officer who was shot and killed in 2010 by a man with a long criminal history who was out on parole.

“The city of Woburn lives with this every day,” Dwyer said.

Adam Sege can be reached at adam.sege@globe.com.