House Majority Opens Back Door for Murderers Serving Life Sentences to Seek Release

July 24, 2026

HARRISBURG - Rep. Craig Williams (R-Delaware/Chester) voted against House Bill 1042 Thursday, saying House Democrats intentionally prevented the General Assembly from enacting a constitutional sentencing law before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court's deadline, opening the door for more than 1,100 convicted felony murderers serving life without parole to seek resentencing and possible release.

Williams served as a Judge Advocate in the United States Marine Corps and Chief Prosecutor at the Marine Corps' largest installation. He later served as Deputy Legal Counsel to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, advising on detainee matters before the federal courts. As a Marine Corps Colonel, Williams became the senior prosecutor for all Marine Corps Reserve prosecutors. He also served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the District of Colorado, prosecuting violent crime, organized drug-distribution gangs and firearms offenses.

In March, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that the mandatory sentence of life imprisonment without parole for second-degree murder violated the Pennsylvania Constitution because the sentencing statute failed to require an individualized determination of culpability. The Court stayed its decision for 120 days, directing the General Assembly to enact a constitutional sentencing framework before today's deadline.

The Senate responded by passing a bipartisan bill that preserved substantial mandatory minimum sentences while tailoring punishment to a defendant's culpability. For example, a getaway driver could face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years instead of mandatory life imprisonment. The bill reached the House well before the deadline while lawmakers remained in Harrisburg working on the state budget.

Instead of advancing the Senate bill, House Democrats recessed for the summer without acting. They then recalled the House into session Thursday, one day before the Supreme Court's deadline.

"All the House had to do was pass the widely bipartisan Senate bill and send it to the Governor," said Williams. "Instead, House Democrats amended the Senate bill knowing the Senate could not act again before the deadline. That move guaranteed Pennsylvania would miss the Court's deadline and intentionally open a door to releasing violent murderers serving life sentences."

The House amendment completely removed the mandatory minimum sentence for second-degree murder, reducing the statutory minimum to zero months of incarceration. Because the Senate was no longer in session, the amended bill cannot reach the Governor before the Court's deadline.

"The House majority intentionally chose not to correct the unconstitutional sentencing statute before the deadline," said Williams. "As a result, the mandatory sentencing structure for felony murder has collapsed under the weight of the Supreme Court's decision and our failure to act timely. More than 1,100 inmates serving life sentences without the possibility of parole will petition courts for resentencing and possible release. Even if the House Bill advances, they have removed all mandatory sentences for felony murderers, meaning these heinous villains could receive no prison time."

Williams said the House's failure to enact a constitutional sentencing statute also affects future prosecutions.

"Future felony murderers now face no mandatory minimum sentence because the statutory sentencing structure is now unconstitutional," said Williams. "It was intentional by the House Democrats. The delay. The amendment guaranteed to miss the deadline. It was all intentional. During floor debate, we heard argument after argument calling for compassion for felony murderers. The House Democrats got what they wanted: forum shopping and judicial chaos with the great possibility of releasing of violent prisoners who currently face life in prison."

Williams noted that Pennsylvania's felony murder statute applies to some of the Commonwealth's most horrific crimes, including:

· Commonwealth v. Perez: In 1997, the defendant was convicted of second-degree murder after raping and killing a 16-month-old child in Berks County. Following the infant's murder, the defendant raped the child on multiple occasions, including within 24 hours of the boy's death. Toxicology testing revealed significant amounts of cocaine, morphine and codeine in the infant's system. Police reports noted that rats and roaches had chewed on the infant's wounds both before and after his death.

· Commonwealth v. Kristopher Gartrell: In 2018, the defendant broke into the home of 87-year-old victim Virginia Barbour in Adams County. Upon entering her home, the defendant proceeded to bind, torture, repeatedly rape and sodomize Ms. Barbour over several hours before strangling her to death.

· Commonwealth v. Rushing: After becoming angry with his girlfriend and her former boyfriend, the defendant returned to a Scranton home in the early morning hours, stabbed one victim to death and held multiple family members at gunpoint. He bound the victims, beat another to death with a hammer, threatened to kill the others and sexually assaulted his girlfriend. Three victims, including a child, were murdered. The surviving victims remained bound for hours until one was able to call 911 using a cellphone dialed with her toe.

· Commonwealth v. Gatewood: Defendant convicted of second-degree murder, rape, burglary and robbery after sexually assaulting and killing a 77-year-old woman in Philadelphia.

· Commonwealth v. Cuadra: In 2007, a Luzerne County man was brutally murdered by two men who broke into his home, slit his throat, nearly decapitating him, stabbed him 28 times in the torso and then set a fire to cover up the murder.

· Commonwealth v. Sanchez: Defendant convicted of second-degree murder after raping and strangling a child to death in Philadelphia.

"I voted 'no' because I will never stop fighting for the safety of our communities and the rights of crime victims," said Williams.

Representative Craig Williams
160th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives