Friends and family of a man who has been behind bars for more than 20 years were ready to celebrate his early release last week, but that didn't happen.
Supporters of Carlos Harris gathered outside the Santa Clara County Main Jail on Monday to find out why he’s still behind bars and demanded he be released immediately.
Harris was convicted, along with several others, for an attempted murder and sentenced to 28 years and four months in prison. Harris, now 53, has maintained his innocence throughout.
Last week, Judge Benjamin Williams resentenced Harris and reduced his sentence by five years, making him a free man. But the sheriff’s office said Monday it cannot release Harris until everything is cleared by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR).
"This is not just punishing Carlos," family friend Paul Thacker said. "It’s punishing his mom, his family, friends. It’s mental torture. It’s mental abuse."
The NAACP of Silicon Valley joined supporters at the jail to demand Harris's release.
"We are calling for Carlos’s immediate release right now," Lynn Rose with the NAACP said. "Right now. Not tomorrow. Not the next day. Right now. There’s a lot of politics being played right now."
Local
NBC Bay Area reached out to CDCR Monday afternoon but did not immediately hear back.
When contacted by phone, Harris said he is outraged that the sheriff is not following the judge's order.
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