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California Governor Gavin Newsom speaking at the State of the State address in Sacramento, CA, Mar 8, 2022. (Photo: Sheila Fitzgerald/Shutterstock)
Gov. Newsom Denies Parole Of Murderer Who Killed Teenager In SF In 2004
Guess who was Mayor in San Francisco during all of this?
By Evan Symon, March 12, 2024 12:51 pm
Governor Gavin Newsom reversed the state Parole Board’s decision of paroling Royce Miller, a murder convicted of killing a San Francisco high school student in 2004, during the weekend, sending him back to prison until his next parole board review currently set for next year.
Since becoming Governor in 2019, Newsom has had a conflicted record in allowing or denying paroles, especially in high profile situations. In the past few years, Newsom has overturned Board of Parole decisions to release criminals, including the killer of a chaplain and RFK assassin Sirhan Sirhan, However, at the same time, he has also not contested many parole decisions, including those of many murderers and Manson Family murderer Leslie Van Houten.
For many, Newsom’s reasonings vary wildly, with him often just saying if they still pose a public risk or not. For many, Newsom’s focus on prison closures and favoring other rehabilitation programs have played a part in many of his releases. For others, many are thought to be denied parole because of what the optics are in Newsom releasing such a notorious person, especially with Newsom likely to run for President in 4 years. Political ads that featured the release of criminals by political candidates have not been forgotten today by campaign managers, especially the 1988 Willie Horton attack ad against then Democratic Presidential nominee Michael Dukakis that helped lead to his loss that year.
However, despite Newsom’s spotty record on denying parole to criminals in recent years, Newsom nonetheless reversed the Parole Board’s decision to parole convicted murderer Royce Miller during the weekend. Miller was convicted of the September 2004 murder of 17-year-old Maxina Danner in McLaren Park in San Francisco. Danner was found strangled and, because of phone evidence and later interviews, Miller was found guilty and sentenced to 15 years to life at age 21.
In 2013, Miller finally admitted to killing Danner but blamed cocaine use, saying to investigators, “I think the powder cocaine amplified my anger. I was already in a violent state of mind and willing to produce violent results, I think it was my ideology, never let somebody punk you out or look like a bitch. If somebody does something to you, make an example, street mentality.”
While he was expected to stay behind bars at San Quentin State Prison for quite some time, an assistant San Francisco DA recommended parole last year shortly before leaving their position. The family and law enforcement officials involved in the case, caught off guard by such an early release for Miller, scrambled to mount a defense, but were unable to convince the Parole Board’s mind, leaving the fate of Miller’s parole up to Governor Newsom.
Newsom reverses parole board decision
With Newsom’s uneven record of granting paroles, pressure soon grew to deny parole. On Friday, Newsom finally gave his decision, reversing the Parole Board’s ruling to release Royce Miller early.
“I have considered the evidence in the record that is relevant to whether Mr. Miller is currently dangerous,” the Governor said in a statement. “When considered as a whole, I find the evidence shows that he currently poses an unreasonable danger to society if released from prison at this time.”
Danner’s sister thanked Newsom in a statement during the weekend.
“We are grateful for the Governor’s thoughtful consideration of this case and commend him and his team for making the right, though difficult, decision,” said Maxina’s sister Andrea Weltman. “My sister was an excellent student and talented athlete, a loyal friend and a kind and funny person. She was loved and her life mattered. Crime victims are not given justice unless we ensure that criminals meet exacting standards before being released back into society.”
“This crime was absolutely senseless and shockingly brutal. Mr. Miller has not demonstrated that he has gone through sufficient rehabilitation that he would not be a danger to someone else and I am relieved that both the District Attorney’s office and the Governor reached the same conclusion.”
Legal experts told the Globe on Tuesday that the parole denial of Miller wasn’t seen as unusual, but with Newsom’s track record, both eventualities were prepared for.
“Newsom can’t be predicted when it comes to things like this,” criminal law advisor Benny Forbes told the Globe. “Everyone thought he was going to keep Van Houten behind bars yet he let her go. And then with Sirhan he was getting a lot of pressure to let him out but he kept him in. But with Miller, it was also likely a bit personal. The murder happened in September 2004, with all the usual court proceedings happening after that. Guess who was Mayor in San Francisco during all of this? Newsom. He was the 36-year-old kid Mayor of the city back then. He was the one who had to help comfort grieving families and call for justice. So yeah, there was no way he was going to backtrack on this one.”
“But even if he wasn’t Mayor, this was a man who killed a teenager. Releasing someone like that, well, that would raise questions in, say, 3 or 4 years. He’s already going to have to deal with questions regarding letting Manson Family members out. And on top of all that, we all have to remember, this is a murder that is still fresh in people’s minds 20 years later. People are still grieving this. There was no way Newsom could justify letting him out. He’s denied people banking on “youth offender” and “elderly inmate” reasons. This one was him all but certain going to deny it. I have to highlight “all but certain” however. He’s had a record going every which way.”
Miller is up for parole next in 2025.
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Californians know from experience that whatever Gov Newsom is doing here is self-serving somehow. We didn’t make that up, Newsom has consistently demonstrated it. Yes, we should be glad that this particular monster’s parole was denied, as it should be, but what happens next year in 2025 when it comes up again?
Newsom’s past and present behavior have repeatedly shown that he is not at all concerned with justice, and he is certainly not concerned with public safety. His actions have shown us he inexplicably supports the exact opposite.
If Newsom hopes to set himself up to be perceived as some kind of a saint or God-like figure, as he seems to think his political ambitions require, maybe the first item on his to-do list should be the avoidance of purposeful cruelty:
“‘I became viscerally angry’ – Father whose daughter was murdered describes learning about execution moratorium”
https://www.abc10.com/article/news/polly-klaass-father-says-he-was-blindsided-over-governors-moratorium-on-executions/103-c5d835f4-2d14-4e6b-b940-4a66bb133bec
And:
“Father of murder victim slams Gov Newsom for giving criminals ‘reprieve'”
https://www.foxnews.com/us/father-of-murder-victim-slams-ca-gov-newsom-for-giving-criminals-reprieve
Royce Miller should remain behind bars. The way he repeatedly lied was beyond comprehension and so repulsive. He is dangerous to be free within a community.