Pa. Supreme Court hears challenge to life without parole in Pittsburgh felony murder case
TribLive, 10/08/24: “Nearly 200 spectators packed a Pittsburgh courtroom Tuesday as the Pennsylvania Supreme Court heard arguments on whether the mandatory sentence of life without parole for second-degree murder violates the state constitution.
The punishment, often called death by incarceration by opponents, applies to nearly 1,100 people in Pennsylvania currently serving time for the crime also known as felony murder.
Opponents say it violates legal prohibitions against cruel punishment.
The case at the center of activists’ efforts to change the law involves Derek Lee, a Penn Hills man serving life for second-degree murder. Gov. Josh Shapiro is supporting Lee’s efforts.
Bret Grote, the legal director of the Abolitionist Law Center, represents Lee, who was convicted in 2016.
Grote told the seven justices that if his client’s sentence is not struck down, Lee will some day die in prison because of the unintended consequences of his crime.
‘This must no longer be the case in Pennsylvania,’ Grote said.”