California Parole Board Postponement Triggers Hunger Strike

9 years after voters guaranteed parole consideration after completing a nonviolent sentence, one prisoner completed his sentence in 2001, yet never considered

LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, September 16, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- On September 4, 2025, at California State Prison, Los Angeles County (CSP-LAC), a scheduled parole suitability hearing for Donald “C-Note” Hooker was postponed. Hooker, recognized as one of the world’s most prolific prison artists, has announced plans to begin a hunger strike on September 21, 2025, aligning the action with the anniversary of the 1971 hunger strike at the Kansas State Prison Farm in Lansing, Kansas.

Hooker is serving a sentence under California’s Three Strikes law. His underlying nonviolent offense was adjudicated in People v. Hooker (Cal. Ct. App., 2d Dist., 1999, No. B122970). He completed that nonviolent sentence in 2001. His case has drawn attention among advocates who raise concerns about access to specialized parole panels for youth, elderly, and nonviolent individuals, created after reforms passed by California voters.

The September 4 hearing was rescheduled to 2026. According to the Board of Parole Hearings, the postponement was related to issues surrounding the Comprehensive Risk Assessment (CRA). Supporters note that Hooker previously acknowledged receipt of the CRA and filed a “Risk Rating Reevaluation” request. That filing referenced findings by Forensic Psychologist Dr. Angelika Marsic, who assessed Hooker as presenting a moderate risk for violence, influenced in part by confidential information from 2019 that Hooker disputes.

Advocates have pointed to broader issues with the parole process. Deborah Slone, former Alameda County Juvenile Delinquency Attorney and former staff attorney with Legal Services for Prisoners with Children, observed:

“Some prisoners may well be qualified or eligible for these parole boards, but are not counseled on how to navigate the process, nor how to successfully apply. Therefore, community oversight would help to ensure that due process is followed.”

Hooker has stated that his hunger strike will focus on what he describes as gaps in applying specialized parole board policies, particularly for African American prisoners serving Third Strike sentences.

The action also echoes themes from Hunger Striking for True Freedom, a 2021 political musical by Minister King X Pyeface, which examined California prisoner hunger strikes of the 2010s and the broader movement for prison reform.

Contact Information

For more details, visit C-Note’s Parole Board Journey or contact him directly on the GTL CDCR-approved messaging app:

Donald Hooker, K94063
P.O. Box 4430
Lancaster, CA 93539

Ricardo Alvarez, MD
Parole Elder Abuse Concerns Everyone (P.E.A.C.E.)
+1 415-360-0033
email us here
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