State Senator Brad Ashford wants a special legislative session to deal with sentencing issues in the Department of Corrections.
Earlier this week, the Omaha World-Herald reported on emails showing Department of Corrections officials knew some sentences were miscalculated and didn't correct the problem. Hundreds of inmates were released from prison early due to those miscalculated sentences.
Ashford says the emails are further evidence of significant communications and oversight issues in the Department of Corrections. He says a special session should happen before new lawmakers are sworn-in in January.
"We have 17 of us who are leaving, we’ve had a debate, most all of the 17 have been debating juvenile justice and criminal justice for the entire four years or in some cases eight years that they’ve been there, and I think they’re well-schooled in the issue. And to hand this off to the new Governor, the new Legislature without one last pass at this I don’t think is doing our job."
Ashford says he believes laws may have been broken, and an investigation is needed.
Nebraska’s gubernatorial candidates, Chuck Hassebrook and Pete Ricketts, both want an outside review of the sentencing issues.