Outgoing Portland DA Seeks Sentence Reductions for Convicts Before Successor Takes Office

Mike Schmidt petitions to reduce sentences for eight individuals, including a convicted murderer, as Nathan Vasquez prepares to assume the role with a tougher stance on crime.

• Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt, who lost reelection last month, has filed petitions to reduce sentences or charges for eight convicts, including individuals convicted of murder and violent assaults.
• Schmidt's petitions, submitted shortly before Christmas, have sparked criticism for their timing, with some victims notified just days before hearings began on December 30.
• Frank Swopes Jr., convicted of murder and other violent crimes in 1993, is among those seeking early release; he has served 32 of a 35-year sentence.
• Another petition involves Shane Ebberts, who was convicted of assault as a teenager; he seeks to downgrade his conviction to a lesser charge, potentially allowing for expungement.
• Incoming DA Nathan Vasquez, who takes office on January 6, has condemned the petitions as last-minute actions benefiting individuals convicted of serious crimes.

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