Pennsylvania's Abolitionist Organizers Win Victory Against Mandatory Life Without Parole

"The ACLU calls LWOP sentences 'permanent removal from society with no chance of reentry, no hope of freedom,' and therefore, 'short of execution, the harshest imaginable punishment.'"

"Five states require mandatory life sentences without the possibility of parole for felony murder convictions, with Pennsylvania having the nation's highest per capita rate of people serving death by incarceration sentences."

"Such a conviction - in spite of its name - doesn't mean the person accused is directly responsible for a death. One can also be convicted of a felony murder if one's actions indirectly and unintentionally resulted in someone's death."

"The case of Derek Lee, who was involved in a robbery where his accomplice's actions resulted in a death, illustrates the severe consequences of Pennsylvania's mandatory sentencing law."

In March, Pennsylvania's Supreme Court ruled against mandatory life sentences without parole for felony murder, a decision celebrated by activists. This ruling could affect over a thousand individuals, most of whom are Black. Life without parole sentences are seen as permanent removal from society, with no chance for reentry. Pennsylvania has the highest rate of such sentences in the U.S. The case of Derek Lee exemplifies the harshness of these laws, as he was sentenced for a death resulting from a robbery he participated in.

Read at Truthout