Schwarzenegger's Final Act: Clemency Granted To Former Prostitute Who Murdered Pimp
Culture Class Daily
The cards are stacked against you when born into the world the child of a drug addicted and abusive mother. For Sara Kruzan, that was her introduction to the world. By 16 years old she was convicted of murder, she'd been targeted by a pedophile, worked as a prostitute then murdered her former boyfriend and pimp who was twice her age. Since 1994 she has been in prison have being sentenced to life, never to granted parole. By comparison Arnold Schwarzenegger was born in a small town in Austria in 1947 into a strict family, his father a police chief. His mother and the young Arnie had a strong and loving relationship. She watched her son became an award winning body builder, than a film star and in 2003 winning the position as Governor of California. Their two lives have now crossed as Governor Schwarzenegger has granted Kruzan clemency describing her life sentence, with no chance of parole as "excessive". By the age of 9, Kruzan had been diagnosed with depression, by 11 she formed a relationship with a 31 year old man who spent time grooming the young girl to become a prostitute. As a 16 year old child Kruzan shot her former pimp and boyfriend, George Gilbert Howard after their abusive relationship ended. The question that supporters and legislators have raised is whether a court should be able to sentence a child to jail for life, meaning life. The court determined that Kruzan had no chance of rehabilitation, disregarding her history and her youth. Last Sunday, with one day left to serve his term as Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger rose to the occasion reducing her sentence to 25 years.
And finally....
