Is This Really How Gov. Schwarzenegger Wants To Be Remembered?

Facebook users: make Kent Shocknek your friend

Twitter: follow KentShocknek

It's a  governor's choice: he or she can decide to reduce a prison inmate's sentence in certain circumstances. And that's exactly what (now ex-) Governor Schwarzenegger did as one of his final acts, before leaving office. He cut the manslaughter sentence of one Esteban Nunez from 16 years behind bars, to 7.

The name Nunez might sound familiar:  his father is state Assembly Speaker, Fabian Nunez,  a long-time Schwarzenegger political ally, even thought they're in different parties.

Nevermind that 21-year-old Esteban reportedly bragged that his dad's political pull would get him out of trouble; the real issue is why the Governor would want to leave Sacramento with this as his legacy. (OK- not his whole legacy: there's the budget deficit, the union stranglehold, the broken schools, the high unemployment.... --Ed.) 

Schwarzenegger wrote that Nunez's sentence was disproportionate with that of his codefendant, but a judge already squashed that line of reasoning last Fall. Needless to say, the victim's family isn't so happy about it, either.

Ah well, the ex-guv has explained his motive.  True or not, though, it just looks shady; and for somebody as appearance-savvy as Mr. S., it's hard to figure.