Abolishes the death penalty and specifies that any person sentenced to death must be sentenced to life imprisonment without parole
Impact
If passed, the bill will revise numerous sections of the Revised Statutes of Missouri, specifically repealing existing legal provisions that govern the death penalty and replacing them with sections that enforce life imprisonment as the maximum punishment. This change could have far-reaching implications on the justice system, particularly concerning how severe felonies are prosecuted and sentenced in the state.
Summary
House Bill 118 seeks to abolish the death penalty within the state of Missouri. Rather than allowing for capital punishment, the bill stipulates that any individual who would have been sentenced to death must instead receive a sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. This marks a significant shift in Missouri's approach to sentencing for serious crimes, particularly murder in the first degree.
Contention
The bill may face significant contention. Supporters argue that abolishing the death penalty aligns with evolving societal views on punishment and the moral implications of capital punishment. They point to the risk of wrongful convictions and the financial burden of death penalty cases. Opponents, however, may contend that this move undermines justice for victims and their families, rooting for the continuation of capital punishment as a necessary tool for the most egregious crimes.
Allows a court to reduce a life without parole sentence, or a sentence of thirty years or greater, to a sentence of life with eligibility for parole in certain circumstances
Allows a court to reduce a life without parole sentence, or a sentence of thirty years or greater, to a sentence of life with eligibility for parole in certain circumstances
Allows for a reduction of a sentence of life without eligibility for probation or parole to a sentence of life with eligibility for probation or parole for certain persons who were under twenty-two years of age at the time an offense was committed
Allows for a reduction of a sentence of life without eligibility for probation or parole to a sentence of life with eligibility for probation or parole for certain persons who were under nineteen years of age at the time an offense was committed