YES!, 09/27/24:  “In early October, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court will hear arguments in an important case that could have national implications. The case seeks to end mandatory sentences of life in prison without parole—what many refer to as “death by incarceration”—for felony murder.

The plaintiff in the case is Derek Lee, who is serving a life sentence without parole for a felony murder conviction. Except Lee never killed anyone, nor intended to kill. Pennsylvania has mandatory life without parole sentencing for people involved in felony murders, whether or not they are directly culpable—a practice that disproportionately impacts Black Americans. Pardiss Kebriaei, senior staff attorney at the Center for Constitutional Rights spoke with YES! Senior Editor Sonali Kolhatkar on YES! Presents: Rising Up With Sonali about Lee’s case and its national implications.”

Watch the interview with Center for Constitutional Rights senior staff attorney Pardiss Kebriaei