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Community Corner

juvenile parole bill reaction statement from families

Massachusetts has made a grave mistake! Not ruling retro-actively on parole for juvenile killers puts public safety at risk. Who benefits from this decision? A killer. Someone who brutally took an innocent life. Someone who had no concern for the life that lay ahead of him or her. Someone who squandered his or her first chance as a contributing member of society. Someone who by every moral standard should be forced to serve the sentence handed down by the court. Who pays the price for this decision? The victims! There are 63 victims, families of 63 victims, and friends of 63 victims impacted by this decision. Where’s the justice? We had justice, but it's been taken away to spare the few souls who don't deserve it. When these parolees re-offend - it’s MURDER! Governor Deval Patrick stated, “Recidivism is up and our reintegration programs aren’t working.” Is this really the time to consider a whole new class of killer for parole? The families and friends of the victims are furious and looking for an explanation. Families of victims: Amy Carnevale, 14 years old Beth Brodie, 15 years old Janet Downing, 42 years old Lewis Jennings, 79 years old

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