Man Arrested for Murder Following Early Mass Prison Release

As U.S. prison inmates prove to be especially susceptible to contracting coronavirus, they’ve been released by the thousands. LA County recently decided to release 25% of their inmate population, or about 4,300 people, in order to protect the population from possible contraction. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva has assured those released were “nonviolent criminals…who were finishing their sentences within 60 days” but the large quantity of prisoners has many LA County residents worried for their lives. It’s a fear shared across the country as other states also participate in these mass releases. One man in Florida may have proven the decision dangerous after he took advantage of the health emergency. 26-year-old Joseph Williams was initially jailed for possession of heroin and other drug paraphernalia. Shortly after early release he was arrested again, but this time as the suspect of a murder case.