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Schwarzenegger Reduces Sentence For Son Of Ex-Assembly Speaker

CONCORD, (KCBS) --- The son of a former state Assembly Speaker in Sacramento had his prison sentence commuted by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. The victim's father said politics had no place in interfering with justice.

Esteban Nuñez, the son of former state Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez, was serving a 16-year prison sentence for his involvement in the 2008 stabbing death of a young Concord man. Governor Schwarzenegger commuted the sentence, reducing it to seven years. The victim's father, Fred Dod Santos, didn't think he'd start the New Year this way.

KCBS' Dave Padilla Reports:

"We were never notified of the possibility they were considering reducing the sentence," he said.

His 22-year-old son, Luis Dos Santos, was fatally stabbed near San Diego State in October of 2008. Even though the victim was stabbed by another man during a fight, Mr. Dos  Santos says Nuñez still played a role in his son's death.

"Esteban Nuñez got lucky that the two people he stabbed,  none of them died," he said.

According to Schwarzenegger's order, the sentence for Nuñez was reduced because he did not personally stab the victim and had no prior criminal record.

(© 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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