Commissioners Find Eduardo Jaime is no longer a public safety risk
(Woodland, CA) – May 3, 2019 – On Thursday, May 2, 2019, Woodland man Eduardo Jaime, aged 39, was granted parole by the Board of Parole Hearings at California State Prison, Solano. Mr. Jaime has been in prison since November of 1999 after being convicted of 2nd Degree Murder and sentenced to 33-years-to-life in state prison.
On November 6, 1999, Mr. Jaime was driving intoxicated after leaving the County Fair in Woodland, CA. He was also driving on a suspended license after two previous DUI convictions. He was driving at a reported speed of 80-90 MPH in a 40 MPH zone and was involved in a crash with another car that killed two women and seriously injured a third woman. Since he had previously been convicted of a DUI, he was given a “Watson Advisement” which is formal statement from the court telling him that if he drives under the influence in the future and kills someone, he could be charged with murder. A Yolo County jury convicted Mr. Jaime of two counts of 2nd degree murder, manslaughter with gross negligence, and driving under the influence of alcohol.
In his 19 years of incarceration, Mr. Jaime has never received a Rules Violation or gotten in any trouble. Mr. Jaime has also taken advantage of the many opportunities to become educated and progress towards rehabilitation. He earned his high school GED and an Associate of Arts degree in Social Sciences from Lassen Community College and took every opportunity to attend and complete self help classes. He has a goal to obtain his Bachelor’s degree in psychology and wants to become a drug counselor to help others avoid taking the same path in life that he did. A 17 page Risk Assessment conducted by a psychologist rated him a “low risk” for reoffending.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Jonathan Raven attended Thursday’s lifer hearing along with four family members, including the lone survivor who was the daughter and sister of the two women killed in the crash. Victim Services Program Manager Laura Valdes also attended the hearing.
In granting parole, Commissioner Kevin Chappell stated, “we find that Mr. Jaime does not pose an unreasonable risk to society and therefore find him suitable for parole. The life crime was horrific, brutal, and deplorable and resulted in the death of two women and serious injuries of another woman, and Mr. Jaime understands that today.” Commissioner Chappell continued stating, “Mr. Jaime has absolutely no disciplinary history while in prison which is nothing less than remarkable. He has “programmed a lot in relevant areas of self-help and he has realistic parole plans which include initially going to transitional housing in San Francisco.”
District Attorney Jeff Reisig stated, “Mr. Jaime has worked hard on his journey to rehabilitation and has now been given a second chance to be successful in free society. My sympathy goes out to the Mata family who, in spite of suffering such a grievous loss, understands the Board’s decision today. I hope Mr. Jaime will take full advantage of this opportunity, lead a successful life, and use what he has learned to help others avoid a similar tragedy.”
Raven expressed his admiration for the Mata family. “They have been through so much suffering and have told me they are looking for some sense of closure here. Also, they want to meet with Mr. Jaime in a Restorative Justice Conference in order to move further in their lifelong journey of self-healing. The Mata’s are a remarkable family.”
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