A landmark piece of criminal justice reform legislation, passed with the
support of President Donald Trump and rare bipartisan backing, had made
Francisco newly eligible for an older law that reduced the sentences for
convicted crack dealers.
Behind bars, the former gang leader had made
"significant efforts toward post-conviction rehabilitation" and had
separated himself from the "proverbial 'herd'" while "committing
himself to a law-abiding life," he wrote in an application for his
release.
In February, with the approval of federal prosecutors and a
district court judge, Francisco became one of the first federal prisoners to
walk free as a result of the First Step Act.
Last month, he was handcuffed again, accused this time of
stabbing to death 46-year-old Troy Pine at a Providence, Rhode Island, hookah
lounge.
More than 4,700 inmates have been released from prison under
the law since its signing late last year, according to the Department of
Justice, and federal officials believe Francisco is the first among them to be
accused of murder.
While an outlier, his case is raising questions and
resurfacing concerns from detractors of the legislation.
"This case is upsetting but it's not a surprise,"
said Sen. Tom Cotton, an Arkansas Republican who was one of the bill's biggest
critics on Capitol Hill. "Letting violent felons out of prison early as
the First Step Act did leads to more crime and more victims."
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