Bill Would Allow Parole For Juvenile Murderers
BOSTON (AP) — A compromise version of a bill that would allow parole for juveniles convicted of first-degree murder has been released by a House and Senate committee.
The bill would make juveniles convicted of first degree murder eligible for parole after serving prison sentences of 20 to 30 years.
The bill sets a range of 25 to 30 years for convictions involving premeditation and a minimum of 30 years for convictions involving extreme atrocity or cruelty.
The time between parole hearings after being denied parole would remain at five years under the bill.
The legislation also provides that the new sentencing range applies only to murders committed after the new law takes effect.
The bill now heads back to both chambers for final approval before being sent to Gov. Deval Patrick for his signature.
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