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Governor Patrick To Sign 'Three Strikes' Crime Bill

BOSTON (CBS/AP) - Governor Patrick announced Tuesday that he would sign the "three strikes" crime bill.

Patrick initially rejected the bill on Saturday and sent it back to lawmakers with an amendment that would have provided judges with limited discretion to allow parole for three-time violent felons who have served two-thirds of their maximum prison sentence or after they served 25 years of a life sentence.

On Monday, the state Legislature rejected Patrick's proposed amendment, leaving the fate of the bill in doubt as the legislative session neared an end.

Governor Patrick issued a statement on Tuesday praising the bill as fair.

"I asked for a balanced bill and, after many twists and turns, the Legislature has given me one," the governor said in a statement. "Because of the balance between strict sentences for the worst offenders and more common sense approaches for those who pose little threat to public safety, I have said that this is a good bill."

(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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