At a news conference Thursday afternoon, Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman joined other local lawmakers in urging House Democrats to make a move on Senate bill 1400, which would change how second-degree murder convictions are charged.
In March, the state Supreme Court ruled that mandatory life without parole for second-degree murder is unconstitutional. Law makers were then given 120 days to come up with a solution. That deadline ends tomorrow. Without a new plan in place, inmates serving now unconstitutional sentences would be able to petition for release
Pittman reiterated that these are not petty thieves, but serious criminals with serious charges.
Senate Republicans called out House Democrats for their inaction, saying they are trying to turn this bill into something “unworkable”.
Pittman went on to say that the “game” that House Democrats are playing “needs to end”.
There are currently about 1,100 inmates serving sentences for second-degree murder in the commonwealth.
