PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Pennsylvania’s House Judiciary Committee held a hearing Thursday on a bill that would place a maximum sentence on first-and second-degree murders.
A conviction for second-degree murder, which sometimes involves a defendant who was merely present during a killing, or who may have been the getaway driver, is mandatory life in prison without parole.
The new legislation, Bill 2296, would cap the maximum sentence for second-degree murder to no more than 40 years in prison, but allow a judge to use discretion. For murder of the first degree — 40 to 50 years.
At the hearing, legislators in Pennsylvania heard from criminal justice experts as well as families of homicide victims and defendants locked up for murder.
One mother, Lorraine Hall, shared the story of her son spending life in prison for second-degree murder, despite him not being the killer.
“He was only 18 when he got arrested and my son will be 49 in January,” she said. “And the reason I say I go through hell is because I can’t wake up and tell my son how much I love him.”
She says it takes her nearly 3 ½ hours to visit him.
"And the things you have to go through, the money you have to spend, it’s crazy. But I would give my life in a heartbeat to trade places with him," Hall said.
Dawn Brown Dawkins, who lost her son Ray, opposes the change.
“Ray’s life was unjustly taken, and no amount of time served by his murderers can undo or reverse the damage they inflicted upon our family,” she said.
“Allowing individuals convicted of second-degree murder to walk free would not only undermine the severity of the crime but also disregard the profound and lasting consequences on victim’s families,” she said.
She adds that releasing people prematurely “would be a betrayal of justice and a disservice to the memory of Ray’s life.”
Crime and justice experts and leaders also gave testimony about different studies and ways to prevent crime.
The bill, which is currently in the revision stage, is sponsored by Montgomery County Legislator Tim Briggs, with several co-sponsors, including House Speaker Joanna McClinton.