PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Republican state lawmakers are sounding the alarm as Friday is the deadline for the Pennsylvania Legislature to act on a state Supreme Court ruling that struck down mandatory life sentences for second-degree murder.
Under current Pennsylvania law, a person is guilty of second-degree murder — also called felony murder — if they take part in a major crime that results in death, like armed robbery, rape, or kidnapping, even if they didn’t directly cause the death.
In March, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled the mandatory life-in-prison sentence that comes with a second-degree murder conviction is unconstitutional, and it gave the Legislature 120 days to come up with a fix.
Bucks County-based Republican state Sen. Frank Farry said the Senate passed a bipartisan fix last month, but the state House has failed to move it.
“I’m not demanding you going back to work; I’m pleading with you in the interest of all the people we talked about,” he stressed. “Please, just go and do your job. You had 120 days. Literally, we are down to the final four. This has to be done on Friday.”
The Senate passed a bill with bipartisan support last month that sets new sentencing guidelines and addresses the more than 1,100 people currently serving second-degree life sentences, but the state House has not taken it up.
Republicans in the state Senate are urging action from House Democrats before county courts are overwhelmed. Without legislative action, Farry said county courts will have no guidance on how to handle those cases when reviews are filed.
Northeast Philadelphia-based Republican state Rep. Martina White said if House Democrats fail to act by Friday, Pennsylvania will be left without a clear sentencing framework for future felony murder convictions.
“At the same time, hundreds of individuals currently serving life sentences could seek resentencing, creating uncertainty for courts, prosecutors, victims and families who have already suffered unimaginable loss,” she said.
Of the more than 1,100 people currently serving life sentences, 545 are in Philadelphia and 130 in the collar counties.
Pa. Supreme Court ruled in March that mandatory life sentences for second-degree murder are unconstitutional
Pa. Supreme Court ruled in March that mandatory life sentences for second-degree murder are unconstitutional
