DA asks Governor to block early prison release for child sex offender
San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow.
– San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow issued a statement this week calling for the reversal of a parole decision involving David Funston.
“As District Attorney, I am shocked that such a pedophile would be considered for early release from state prison. Justice and common sense demand that this decision be immediately overturned by the Parole Board or Governor Newsom,” said Dan Dow, District Attorney.
The statement follows a Jan. 25 request filed by the Criminal Justice Legal Foundation and the California District Attorneys Association urging the California Board of Parole Hearings to reconsider and possibly rescind its recent decision granting parole to Funston.
The request cites the seriousness of Funston’s crimes, public safety concerns, and the board’s regulatory authority to revisit parole grants before an inmate’s release. The letter calls on the board to exercise its authority under California Code of Regulations, Title 15, sections 2450–2471, which allow postponement or rescission of a parole date when circumstances indicate parole may have been improvidently granted or when new or previously underappreciated information raises public safety concerns. The request also references California case law confirming the board’s authority to reconsider parole decisions before release occurs.
The filing states reconsideration is part of the parole process and is intended to ensure that parole decisions reflect the most complete and accurate information available to support public safety, accountability, and confidence in the parole system.
