A Susanville man convicted of murder in 1997 and sentenced to life is seeking to become eligible for parole.
Gabriel Haley was convicted at the age of 22 for the premeditated murder of 18-year-old William Timms.
Court documents reveal Haley conspired to murder Timms over a botched car deal. Haley owed Timms 1500 dollars for the purchase of a vehicle, and continued efforts to collect the money by Timms led to Haley’s murderous intent to cease the demands.
Timms’s body was discovered three days after his slaying in a ravine near Shaffer Mountain Road. He had been shot and sustained fatal blunt-force trauma to his head, which led to his demise.
On January 12th, Haley went before a judge on his petition for a Franklin/Cook hearing.
DA Melyssa Rios provided the information an update to the LAssen Board of Supervisors stating the law now allows an evidentiary hearing proceeding where a person who was convicted of committing a crime and received a life sentence at the age of 26 or younger can bring evidence to the court relating to thier youth as a factor in an appeal to reduce their sentence.
Haley, now 49, currently serves life without the possibility of parole at the CDCR facility in Corcoran and, through this updated law, is now qualified for the youth offender hearing to become eligible for parole.
Cases like this are among many being petitioned for, which are inundating the District Attorney’s office as California leads the nation in correctional reforms and reduced reliance on incarceration, the largest impact taking place In 2011, with the enactment of public safety realignment.
