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RALEIGH – Twenty North Carolina inmates charged with violent crimes will go free at the end of the month after a ruling on a law dating back to the 1970s.

Inmate Bobby Bowden, a 60-year-old convicted murderer, argued a 1974 law clearly defined life sentences as 80 years. In 1981, the General Assembly revised state sentencing laws, cutting earlier sentences in half.

Bowden says that statute, combined with good conduct credit, means his life sentence is over.

The state Court of Appeals sided with Bowden last year, and the N.C. Supreme Court rejected an appeal from the state earlier this month.

Because of that ruling, 20 inmates convicted of violent crimes from rape to murder will be released Oct. 29. The Department of Correction says the ruling could eventually affect about 120 inmates sentenced when the law was in place.

Gov. Bev Perdue said she is "appalled" by the upcoming release of prisoners without any review of their cases.

"I don't believe the General Assembly's intent in 1974 was to let these violent offenders out of prison early," Perdue said in a statement.

Tom Bennett, with the North Carolina Victim Assistance Network, said he's disgusted that the criminals, some of whom were formerly on death row, will be released.

"What this does is put some very dangerous people, or potentially very dangerous people, out on the street years and years before anybody anticipated it," Bennett said. "In some cases, it was before they thought they would be released at all."

But former N.C. Supreme Court Justice Bob Orr said he believes the court's ruling should stand.

"That's what our General Assembly decided at that point in time. Unfortunately, no matter how concerned people may be or the governor may be, that's what the law said and that's what has to happen," Orr said.

Bennett said he is concerned the impact of old laws will bring new pain for victims.

"We are concerned that releasing these prisoners will open old emotional wounds," Bennett said. "This is a miscarriage of justice."

The Department of Corrections is trying to notify victims of the crimes.

For more information, contact the DOC Office of Victim Services at 1-866-719-0108 or the N.C. Victim Assistance Network at 1-800-348-5068.