Tennessee Bill Would Cut Sentence In Half For First Degree Murder
Photo: Meeting of the Tennessee Board of Parole Photo Credit: Tennessee Board of Parole / Facebook
The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –
House Bill 1532 (SB0561 in the Senate) seeks to reduce the amount of time that must be served for first degree murder before becoming eligible for parole. For someone currently sentenced to life in prison with parole, the minimum time they must serve is 51 years. If the bill passes the House and Senate and becomes Tennessee law, that time would be reduced by approximately half to 25 years.
In a murder case, there are three scenarios for sentencing.
1) death penalty
2) life without parole
3) life with parole
The bill affects only those sentenced to life with parole. If passed, it would apply to those sentenced to imprisonment for 1st degree murder for an offense that occurred prior to July 1, 2021 who have already served 25 years.
In May, Governor Bill Lee signed some other criminal justice reform bills into law and the General Assembly and Lee have made criminal justice reform a priority.
State Senator Janice Bowling (R-District 26), sponsor of the bipartisan bill in the Senate, said earlier this year, “We are now joining all other Southern states in eliminating the Federal Judicial reform of the mid 90’s. We are returning to truth in sentencing.”
Representative London Lamar (D-District 91), the bill’s sponsor in the House has said that while the bill is about saving the state of Tennessee money, it also aims to return convicts to society as productive citizens.
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While there is support for the bill among Tennesseans, many are concerned about convicted murderers being released much earlier from prison than anticipated.
A petition on Change.org says in part, “The state fiscal note anticipates releasing four first degree defendants per year to save money… so that’s four victims’ families that were told the killer would remain behind bars for 51 years and now they will be seeing an early release from prison.”
Read the petition HERE.
About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
If these lawmakers family member had been Murdered it would be a different story?
That’s the stupidest thing I have ever heard! With crime rampant in the USA today, what are you telling the criminals? What is needed is a firmer stand on crime, not reduce the penalty for Murder, or any other crime! We can have all the laws on the books you can pass, but until you start Enforcing the laws and Prosecuting the criminals, the laws have no “teeth”. In other words, if you tell criminals you won’t be prosecuted unless they steal over $950, then what does that mean? Crime is OK! BS! The Death Penalty (Enforced, of course) would be a great deterrent to most criminals.
Tennessee Bill Would Cut Sentence In Half For First Degree Murder
ANGRY MOTHER, ALL 3 ARE 1ST DEGREE MURDER VICTIMS, NIKKI’S KILLER IS ON DEATH ROW FOR RAPE/.KILLING A 8 YR OLD, JEREMY’S (16) WAS PLEA BARGAINED DOWN TO M2, SERVED 8.5 YRS, DEBBIE GROSECLOSE WAS A YOUNG MOTHER, HER HUSBAND WAS TIRED OF AND HIRED KILLERS, LET THEM IN THE HOUSE, WHILE HE TOOK THE SMALL KIDS OUT, COOKED TO DEATH IN HER CAR TRUNK AFTER BEING RAPED, STABBED, JUDGE JOHN T NIXON VACATED THEIR DEATH PENALITIES, TO LIFE WITH PAROLE. ONLY HER SISTER NOW SURVIVES TO FIGHT FOR HER JUSTICE.
BEST LET YOUR CONGRESSCRITTERS KNOW NOT TO VOTE FOR THIS LEGISLATION! YOUR LOVED COULD BE NEXT.
Most definitely the death sentence,if you take someone’s life,you should pay with yours, an eye for an eye,Period.
This Bill makes no since. If you get life how in hell do you get paroled?? Life is life and no parole.
Are these law makers nuts? IF they pass this then everyone that signed on for this needs to be removed from offices. They have been there to long
Nope! Not right.
One rationale for this bill is that “it returns convicts to society as productive citizens.” That is a laudable goal, but no evidence is given to support this as a likely outcome. There are prison rehabilitation programs that come close to providing this evidence, but they are not required by the state of Tennessee. To make this bill come even close to living up to this goal, the state should require the prison system and parole system establish and support a prison rehabilitation program like Prison Fellowship as a part of its mandate. Yes, this program has a religious foundation because the loss of a religious foundation is what has contributed to criminal behavior since the Garden of Eden. Such a program would have a beneficial effect on all prisoners, not just murderers.
If they’re going to do this then they should help the ones that have been branded with a felony, did their probation and have never gotten in trouble again. Especially when they go to college and get degrees with honors but are held back by a label. Why not help these people instead of murderers.
So is Tennessee aiming to become like California? 1st degree murder is murder! Did the murderer give the victim any consideration on how long the murderer was going to kill the victim? This is complete 🐂💩! Stop supporting criminals period! Hold people accountable for their actions period! This is the problem in America right now criminals get a slap on the wrist and go out and continue to break laws!