The Rhode Island Legislature will debate a bill that would end “life without parole” in first degree murder and several other capital offenses.
John Edwards of Tiverton says the current first-degree murder sentence is a second death penalty.
Edwards says House Bill 5149, if passed by the legislature and signed by the governor would be retroactive to January of 1991.
The Bill is not unique to Rhode Island. In Vermont, State Lawmakers will debate the same basic bill.
Massachusetts has been debating on and off the same type of bill for the last couple of years.
Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha has already said he will oppose it.
We haven’t heard from the Governor yet on what he thinks of the proposal.
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