After spending just eight years in prison, convicted mass shooter and former gang member Jarad Nava has been given a new job by California Governor Gavin Newsom. Nava, who was sentenced to 162 years in prison for four counts of attempted murder in 2014, has been hired as an assistant in a state senate committee.
A recent Los Angeles Times article attempted to soften the story of Nava’s violent crimes, citing his rough childhood as a justification for his actions. Born to a young, struggling mother and absent father, Nava grew up with no stability and turned to gang life at the age of 16. He was initiated into the Pomona Don’t Care Krew street gang and quickly rose through the ranks.
However, it was a fateful gang-related shoot-out that changed Nava’s life forever. Riding in a truck with fellow gang members, Nava shot at a car carrying four individuals he believed to be his enemies. Among those in the car were 16-year-old Yesenia Castro, her 15-year-old sister Marlene Castro, Jessila Suarez, 25, and 17-year-old Marlyn Reyes, who was nine months pregnant. While no one was killed, Yesenia was left paralyzed from the waist down.
Meet Jarad Nava.
Nava is LA gangster who shot and paralyzed a 16-year-old girl who now works for California’s Department of Public Safety after Gavin Newsom slashed his 162 year sentence to just 8 years. pic.twitter.com/IpUd4kfjcD
— I Meme Therefore I Am 🇺🇸 (@ImMeme0) November 24, 2023
Despite being only 17 at the time of the shooting, Nava was sentenced to 162 years in prison. He rejected a plea deal of 30 years and opted to stand trial as an adult. However, in March of 2020, Nava’s sentence was commuted by Governor Newsom to just 10 years to life. This decision was made after a progressive criminal justice organization fought for Nava’s release.
In December 2020, Nava was released from California State Prison Solano, more than 150 years early. Yesenia, his paralyzed victim, expressed her disbelief and disappointment in a documentary about the case. Despite this, Governor Newsom stands by his decision, stating that it “does not minimize or forgive his conduct or the harm it caused.” Instead, Newsom believes in the work Nava has done to transform himself while in prison.
This scumbag Jarad Nava shot and paralyzed a teen girl.@GavinNewsom commuted his 162-year sentence down to just 8.
Now he works for the California State Department of Public Safety. You just cannot make this stuff up. Our state is doomed.https://t.co/76sXohsAjX pic.twitter.com/Fzt3C4FCT6
— Karly (@DepravedAngel) November 24, 2023
Ironically, Nava now works for the Senate Public Safety Committee, focusing on modifying the criminal justice system in California to focus on rehabilitation rather than lengthy prison terms. Governor Newsom admits to shedding tears over Nava’s supposedly reformed life, stating that he is proud of Nava for securing a job and feeling a sense of responsibility to not let anyone down.
Notably absent from the Times article were the voices of Nava’s victims. Yesenia and her sisters declined to contribute to the piece, leaving readers wondering about their thoughts and feelings regarding Nava’s early release and new job. Despite this, the article ended on a positive note, stating that Nava is finally home in the California Capitol.
In a puzzling turn of events, a man who was charged with four counts of attempted murder and sentenced to 162 years in prison is now a productive member of society, thanks to the actions of the governor. Only time will tell if Nava truly has undergone a transformation or if his violent past will continue to haunt him. What is certain is that this decision raises questions about the effectiveness of the criminal justice system and the power of redemption.
