Grieving mother seeks sentencing reform
EL CENTRO — An El Centro mother whose 11-year-old son was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver in 2015 is asking for additional community support for her campaign seeking stricter sentences for individuals convicted of such crimes.
Already, Charla Huggins has enlisted the help of Assemblyman Eduardo Garcia, who in February introduced a bill that would amend existing law to allow lengthier prison sentences for individuals convicted of hit-and-run offenses resulting in death or serious injuries.
Nonetheless, Huggins, who is currently homeless, said she is in dire need of financial support to allow her to continue to travel and campaign for the bill, which she refers to as Avory’s Law, in memory of her son, Avory Glover.
In order to assist with the bill’s potential passage, Huggins said Garcia’s office had requested she make herself available to testify at hearings in Sacramento as needed.
“They want to keep me involved every step of the way,” Huggins said.
Due to her current circumstances, which are exacerbated by two chronic illnesses, Huggins said she finds herself unable to commit to any travel plans.
To help Huggins stay involved with the legislative effort, an online crowdsourcing campaign has been launched on her behalf on the You Caring website, and can be found by searching “Black Mama Lost her Son.”
Garcia’s Assembly Bill 2014, which is currently inactive, would impose tougher sentences in cases such as that in which Avory Glover was killed. Currently, those convicted of such crimes are liable to serve a prison term for two, three or four years, or in a county jail for not less than 90 days nor more than one year. AB 2014, introduced Feb. 5, would increase the terms for state imprisonment to two, four or six years.
The bill also has the backing of the Imperial County Probation Department, California District Attorneys Association, California Police Chiefs Association and California State Sheriff’s Association, according to the California Legislative Information website.
Garcia said he felt compelled to act on Huggins’ behalf after speaking with her and reflecting on the lives of his own children.
“This bill is designed to bring justice to a senseless act of violence and provide closure for a family that had their young son’s life taken away,” Garcia said in a written statement. “The proposed penalty increase would hold individuals accountable for their recklessness and for trying to evade justice by fleeing the scene of a vehicular accident.”
Garcia said he continues to have conversations with the chair of the Assembly Committee on Public Safety and other members regarding AB 2014.
El Centro resident Edward James Killian had been convicted of felony hitand-run and misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter on June 5, and sentenced by county Superior Court Judge L. Brooks Anderholt to three years in state prison.
In handing down Killian’s sentence, Anderholt had chosen to stay the oneyear jail term related to the vehicular manslaughter charge and not impose the maximum four-year prison term related to the felony hit-and-run charge, citing mitigating circumstances in Killian’s favor.
Anderholt also rejected Killian’s defense attorney’s argument on behalf of probation in place of imprisonment.
To this day, the seemingly light sentence Killian had received continues to anger Huggins, and gravely impact the lives of her other two children.
“I did not get the justice I deserved,” she said.
In the meantime, Huggins finds herself the subject of a small independent film that aims to document her past experience dealing with the criminal justice system.
“I want everything that I have to say to come out,” she said.