Governor Jerry Brown has shortened the sentence of a woman convicted of killing an actor in his San Diego apartment in 2005.
Amy Davis was sentenced to life without parole for her involvement in the 2005 murder of actor Theodore "Rocky" Salanti.
During a robbery, Davis bound Salanti with duct tape, suffocated him, and stuffed his body into a suitcase inside his apartment near Qualcomm Stadium.
An attorney for the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking said that Davis, who was working as a prostitute at the time, would never have participated in the crime if it weren’t for her victimization and exploitation at the hands of her pimp. A psychologist said that if it weren’t for the control Davis’ pimp had over her, Davis wouldn’t have been in a position where her fear and vulnerability could be used against her.
Davis’ pimp tortured her physically and sexually, according to the psychologist, and she believed he would kill her if she did not submit to his control.
The Board of Parole Hearings also investigated the case and found that Davis suffered from intimate partner battery at the time of the crime.
According to Governor Brown’s commute letter, Davis’ commitment to rehabilitation has been exemplary since her conviction. She has participated in many self-help programs, earned an Associate of Arts degree and has mentored other inmates as a substance abuse counselor.
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Governor Brown has commuted Davis' life sentence to 20 years. After 20 years, Davis will be required to appear before a parole board which will determine if she is suitable for release.
Brown also pardoned or commuted the sentences of four other prisoners convicted in San Diego County.
