VENTURA, California – District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced today that Governor Brown has blocked the parole of first-degree murderer inmate Larry Jay.

Jay was convicted of the first-degree murder of Naomi Harris, aged 50. On May 6, 1976, Jay set up a false alibi for himself, then hid in the restroom of a bar in Ventura. After the bar closed, he ambushed the bartender, Ms. Harris, and killed her by fracturing her skull with a hammer. The evidence suggested that he struck her once when she was standing, then ordered her to lie face down on the floor, where he struck her in the back of her head multiple times with a hammer, crushing her skull and killing her. He stole $168 from two cash registers, fled the scene in a stolen truck, and went to a fast food restaurant for a snack.

The District Attorney’s Office opposed parole for this brutal crime. The Board of Parole Hearings nonetheless found Jay suitable for parole based on his current age of 67 years, length of incarceration of 39 years, remorse, lack of recent prison misconduct, risk assessment, and parole plans. The District Attorney then asked the Governor to overturn the decision, as authorized by the California Constitution. On July 1, 2015, Governor Brown reversed the grant of parole, finding that Jay poses an unreasonable danger to society if released from prison.

The District Attorney thanks the Governor for his decision protecting the community.