The Pennsylvania Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that mandatory life sentences for second-degree murder are unconstitutional — a significant decision that is likely to reshape a portion of state law that many criminal justice advocates and some public officials have long targeted for reform.
In an opinion released Thursday morning, Chief Justice Debra Todd said the law mandating a life sentence for anyone convicted of so-called felony murder violated the Pennsylvania Constitution’s protections against cruel punishments.
The post Mandatory life sentences for second-degree murder are unconstitutional, Pa. Supreme Court rules first appeared on Families Against Mandatory Minimums Foundation.
