Massachusetts' highest court rules offenders under 21 can't be sentenced to life without parole
BOSTON -- On Thursday the Supreme Judicial Court overruled legislature blocking anyone up to age 20 from being forced to face life in prison without parole. Now the victim's families will have to relive these cases during potential parole hearings.
"It's never kind of gone, but this opens it up even wider," says Mary Dunne.
Dunne's daughter Lauren Astley was killed in July of 2011. Investigators discovered the 18-year-old's body in a marsh. She had been strangled and stabbed. Her ex-boyfriend Nate Fujita was found guilty of her murder and sentenced to life without parole. Fujita was 20 years old.
"I did think it's over when he was deemed guilty and sentenced, but that was completely naive," said Dunne. "I don't see how if Lauren doesn't get to live her life, why he gets to live any life? I don't want him dead. I don't believe in the death penalty, but he doesn't deserve to be out living a regular life."
The idea behind the ruling is that a person's brain is not fully developed by then, and they may act more impulsively than someone older.
"I understand the age issue and brain development. I'm an educator myself," said Dunne. "I have an issue with first degree murderers getting that or other crimes. Could there be a narrower slice of the population getting that?"
The change doesn't always mean parole will happen either.
"I mean if you brutally stab someone 50 times how do you get rehabilitated from that," said Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn talking hypothetically. "I hope this doesn't open up the system to some of these individuals getting parole that don't deserve to be out on the street. That's a public safety issue."
Now these victims' families may have to relive these moments during future parole hearings. Quinn began looking up who may be eligible, and some of the cases in his district date back to the 1960's.
"These cases have already been adjudicated by a jury, and in some cases held up on appeal," said Quinn. "Some of the most brutal and violent murders were convicted by people in this age group."
"It's another reopening of wounds is a good way to put it," said Dunne.
