OLYMPIA…State Sen. Don Benton, R-Vancouver, has filed a bill in response to the Chelsea Harrison case which would make sure dangerous felons, like her killer, are sentenced to life in prison under the state’s “Three Strikes” law and aren’t released because one of their crimes was committed in another state.

“I have been working with Chelsea’s family to craft this bill for some time now,” Benton said. “This child would still be alive today if my bill had been law in 1999. The recent conviction of her killer, Roy Wayne Russell, makes this perfectly clear. Roy Russell should never have had the opportunity to commit the horrific crime for which he was just convicted. We owe it to Chelsea and other potential victims to make sure this never happens again.”

Benton’s bill, Senate Bill 6829, counts “any out-of-state conviction for a felony offense that resulted in a sentence of ten years or more” as a strike under the “Three Strikes” law.

“This loophole needs to be closed now before anyone else dies or suffers,” Benton said.

After consulting with Chelsea Harrison’s family, Senate Bill 6829 is to be known and cited as the Chelsea Harrison Act. The measure has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

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For more information contact Penny Drost
at (360) 786-7522
or penny.drost@leg.wa.gov