Former State Senator Released After 70-Minute Jail Stint Because Of Overcrowding

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Former state Senator Rod Wright surrendered Friday night to begin serving a L.A. County jail term and only spent 70 minutes inside.

Wright walked in at 9:30 p.m. Friday and was out by 10:40.

The L.A. County Sheriff's Department processed him and then released him because of jail overcrowding. Non-violent offenders are often turned away.

Wright is a democrat who represented the 35th District. He resigned in September so he could serve what was supposed to be a three-month jail sentence.

The former lawmaker was convicted of perjury and voter fraud after officials discovered he was living outside of the district he represented.