Parole Authority reduces minimum murder sentence

HONOLULU (AP) - The Hawaii Paroling Authority has reduced the minimum sentence of a Big Island man convicted of second-degree murder in the 2006 shooting death of his ex-girlfriend in front of their 2-year-old son.

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports the board reduced the minimum sentence for Jeffrey Boyd Santos Jr. from 100 years to 50 years. He must serve one-third of the sentence before consideration for parole.

A previous board in 2008 set the higher minimum.

Board guidelines designate 20 to 50 years for second-degree murder. The agency can set a higher minimum if it states reasons for doing so. The 2008 board did not.

Defense attorney Brian De Lima at a hearing last month said the old board had in effect usurped legislators' authority.

Santos was convicted of shooting Daysha Aiona-Aka.

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