Bill > H7132

This bill amends existing Rhode Island General Laws related to homicide penalties, specifically prohibiting the imposition of a sentence of life without parole for individuals who are twenty-one years of age or younger at the time of the offense. This means that even for the most severe first-degree murder charges, including those committed intentionally during another felony, involving torture, or against specific public officials, a judge cannot sentence someone under 21 to spend their entire life in prison without any possibility of release. The bill also applies this restriction to the penalty for first-degree murder when a kidnapped person under eighteen dies as a direct result of the kidnapping, ensuring that individuals under 21 convicted of this crime also have the possibility of parole. The changes are intended to prevent the harshest possible sentence from being applied to young offenders, acknowledging their potential for rehabilitation. This act will become law immediately upon its approval.

Justice

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