If the legislature does not act following a state Supreme Court ruling, over 1,100 people sentenced to life in prison for murder could appeal their terms.
On Thursday, Pennsylvania state House Democrats rejected a proposal from Senate Republicans to restructure the criminal penalties for second-degree murder.
A recent ruling from the state Supreme Court said that life sentences for second-degree murder are unconstitutional. The court gave the legislature a window to write different sentencing guidelines for second-degree murder.
Without action from the legislature, over 1,100 convicted murderers could appeal their terms and be released in Pennsylvania. The deadline is Friday, July 24.
The Republican-led Senate and Democratic-led House have not been able to strike an agreement on whether to base sentencing rules on mandatory minimum terms or mandatory maximums. The disagreement has led to a frozen legislature when action is necessary to prevent the criminals from being released.
On Thursday, House Democrats rewrote a proposal previously passed by the Senate and included a controversial provision. The provision would grant some individuals incarcerated for life the chance for medical parole if they faced serious health conditions.
Republicans have criticized the approach.
“I believe in second chances, I believe in redemption, but I cannot forgive an individual who raped a 4-year-old and then murdered that child. I believe that individual that raped and murdered that child should die in prison regardless of any health issues they develop over the years,” reacted state Representative Eric Devanzo of Westmoreland County.
Attorney General Dave Sunday, who has been issuing dire warnings about the potential for the release of hundreds of murderers, sent a letter on Thursday urging members to vote against the Democratic amendments to the restructuring proposal.
Sunday referred to the Democratic sentencing framework as “grossly inadequate”, and said offenders would be able “to forum shop for early release” if Friday’s deadline passes without a workable solution.
According to lawmakers, about 580 of the cases in question are based in Philadelphia.
With the Senate not scheduled to be in session on Friday, the deadline is at real risk of passing without action from the legislature.
Also on Thursday, Allegheny County District Attorney Steve Zappala urged the state Supreme Court to push back its deadline for 120 days.
Once the deadline passes, courts are expecting to be flooded with hundreds of petitions for release or new sentences from those serving a life sentence for second-degree murder in the Commonwealth.
