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As Republican state Sen. Janice Bowling explained to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, a person in Tennessee who is convicted of first-degree murder faces three possible sentences: life with the possibility of parole, life without the possibility of parole or death. But because of an extraordinarily harsh sentencing law, a person sentenced to life with the possibility of parole is not eligible to even be considered for release until they have served 51 years in prison.
That s double the national average, Bowling told the committee, and means most people facing the sentence will die before they ever get a chance at parole.
Senate Committee Advances Bill to Reform Tennessee s Harsh Life Sentence Law
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Preds Foundation Awards SuperGrant to Retrieving Independence
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In Tennessee, 16-year-old children cannot legally purchase alcohol. They cannot vote. They cannot purchase a firearm.
There are a few things they can do, however. 16 year olds can drive. They can also be sentenced to life in prison
This is exactly what happened to activist and author Cyntoia Brown, who spoke at this yearâs Rethinking Reentry Symposium on Tuesday afternoon. The symposium, organized by the UTK College of Law and the Tennessee Journal of Race, Gender and Social Justice, featured discussion on reentry to society after incarceration and voting rights. The event was organized by Taylor Flake-Lawson, who interviewed Brown during the lecture, and led by symposium editor Johnelle Simpson. In conjunction with the symposium, the UT Legal Clinic, along with UT law students, will be holding a clinic on March 20 to help individuals restore their voting rights.