Three (3) Strikes Cases  California’s “three strikes” law has
drawn widespread attention, much of it centered on its perceived
inequities. But it is the law and, consequently, has a
significant impact on those charged with a strike offenses.
Generally, any violent or serious crime can count as a strike.
So for the individual who already has one strike and is
convicted of a subsequent felony, any sentence can be at least
twice the normal punishment for the new felony. If the sentence
for the new felony, for example, is 6 years in state prison, the
court maximum sentence can be 12 years.  What makes the law so
controversial – and presents such a peril to those convicted
under the law – is that the second felony doesn’t even have to
be what’s considered a strike offense to have grave
consequences. And for someone with two strikes who is convicted
of a third felony, any felony punishment can be 25 years to
life.  The vagaries of this California law have opened the way
to a variety of legal maneuvers. In previous