San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan announced that under Marsy’s law, the victims of the Santana High School shooting in March 2001 may attend the upcoming parole hearing for the gunman, Charles “Andy” Williams set for Sept. 10 at 8:30 a.m. Williams opened fire at the school with a revolver, killing two students and wounded 13 others.
Williams was 15 years old at the time of the shooting.
Williams’ hearing before the Board of Parole Hearing will be held via video conference. Victims interested in attending the hearing must contact the Parole Board by Aug. 26.
The District Attorney’s Office will represent the People at the hearing.
“Having victim voices at hearings like this are an extremely important part of the process,” said Stephan in a press release. “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.”
In June 2022, Williams was sentenced to 50 years-to-life in prison, with his parole hearing coming exactly 23 years since the mass shooting. Due to a change in state law that altered sentencing guidelines for juveniles tried as adults, the Youthful Parole law requires that any juvenile charged as an adult and received a life sentence, has a chance at parole no later than 25 years into their sentence.
According to the press release, victims, victims’ next of kin, family members, support persons, or designated representatives may appear and participate in the hearing by videoconference or telephone. Participation includes an option to speak at the hearing. If you would like to attend the parole hearing, you may notify the Office of Victim & Survivor Rights & Services by e-mail at victimservices@cdcr.ca.gov or by telephone at 1-877-256-6877. When notifying them of your intent to attend a hearing, please provide them with how you will participate (by videoconference or by telephone).
For more information on how to be included at the hearing, victims may contact the District Attorney’s Lifer Hearing Unit at (619) 531-4115 or at SanDiegoDA@sdcda.org.
