Turlock woman who killed boyfriend granted clemency. Now, she’s suitable for parole.

When Natalie Lynn Jaspar was initially sentenced for shooting her boyfriend in the back of the head, she wouldn’t get her first chance at parole until September 2038.

But the Turlock woman was granted clemency by Gov. Jerry Brown. Her 40 years to life sentence was cut in half, and she immediately became eligible for parole.

Jaspar was found suitable for parole on Oct. 4, 20 years after she killed her boyfriend, Thomas Hines, as he was loading items into the back of a pickup. The Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office says Jaspar was upset Hines was leaving her.

Testimony in her murder trial indicated Jaspar and Hines were involved in an extremely volatile relationship, and that she had been physically abused. A jury found Jaspar guilty of second-degree murder in November 1999.

The Governor’s Office on March 30 announced that Jaspar’s sentence had been commuted, referring to her toxic relationship with Hines that had a history of domestic violence and years of physical and psychological abuse by Hines.

Neighbors and friends described Jaspar suffering numerous injuries, including bruises, black eyes, welts, swollen lips, knots on her head and missing hair, according to a declaration signed by Brown. The governor said that he read several heartfelt letters from Hines’ family, who opposed clemency for Jaspar.

“While the profound impact of Ms. Jaspar’s crime cannot be erased, I have carefully weighed,” Brown said in the declaration. “Ms. Jaspar’s conduct in prison has been exemplary, and she taken advantage of many programs to improve herself.”

The governor said Jaspar deserved an earlier opportunity to make her case to the parole board, so it can determine whether she’s ready to be released.

Stanislaus Superior Court Judge David G. Vander Wall said at Jaspar’s April 2000 sentencing hearing that her relationship with Hines had spiraled downward, and there was a lot of anger on both sides. Jaspar was 33 years old at the time of her sentence, and she would become eligible when she was 71 years old.

Kirk McAllister, Jaspar’s attorney, said at the time that the prison sentence allowed Hines to continue controlling her, even after his death, until she’s an elderly woman. Alan Cassidy, who prosecuted the case, said that Hines was 120 feet away and posing no threat when he was struck by an accurate shot that was well-planned.

Shortly before 1:40 p.m. Oct. 3, 1998, Hines was shot with a .22-caliber rifle shortly outside a home in the 2900 block of West Monte Vista Avenue, west of Golden State Boulevard in Turlock.

Local prosecutors said a witness helping Hines move his belongings out of the home screamed that the bullet had struck Hines. Then, Jaspar replied, “Good,” according to a news release issued Tuesday by the District Attorney’s Office.

Two weeks before the deadly shooting, Jaspar shot at Hines as he rode away on his motorcycle, the prosecutors said. The gunfire struck the motorcycle’s fender.

An argument erupted on the day of the fatal shooting. Jaspar threw a motorcycle helmet at Hines, who then kicked Jaspar and threw her to the floor, according to the governor’s declaration. Jaspar then grabbed the rifle and fired one shot at Hines.

The jury rejected Jaspar’s legal defense of her suffering “battered woman syndrome,” and the state Supreme Court upheld the conviction on appeal, according to prosecutors. Jaspar then applied for clemency from the governor.

Deputy District Attorney Jeff Mangar attended Jaspar’s Oct. 4 parole hearing. The prosecutor argued against Jaspar’s release, citing her lack of plans to find a job and failure to complete any education while in prison.

The panel found Jaspar, now 51, suitable for parole. On Friday, she remained in custody at the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla. It’s unclear when she will be released from prison.

State parole officials have 120 days to review the decision. Then, the Governor’s Office can review the decision and determine whether to uphold, overturn or modify the state parole board’s decision.

The governor said in his March 30 declaration that Jaspar has engaged in a significant self-help courses that address the factors that led to her crime, including courses on anger management, victim awareness and how to respond to domestic violence.

She had no criminal record before the shooting and had not been disciplined for any misconduct in prison. Jaspar served as a peer health educator, hospice volunteer and certified grief counselor in prison,

Brown said in his declaration that Jaspar earned the respect of the correctional staff, including the prison warden who recommended her for clemency.