STATE HOUSE – The Rhode Island Senate approved on Tuesday, legislation that will require individuals convicted of first- or second-degree murder to serve as least 50 percent of a sentence prior to being eligible for parole.
Sponsored by Sen. Leonidas P. Raptakis (D-Dist. 33, Coventry, East Greenwich, West Greenwich), the legislation, 2013-S 0361, will apply the 50 percent sentence requirement to individuals convicted of first- or second-degree murder who have not been sentenced to life in prison.
“Individuals who commit first- and second-degree murder should be expected to serve at least a majority of their sentences and really, I think, they should be serving their full sentences for such a heinous crime,” said Senator Raptakis. “At the very least, they should serve no less than half of their term, which has been the case in some instances.”
Senator Raptakis said that although he has introduced similar legislation in previous years, there is renewed urgency for enacting the law this year in light of the recent parole granted to Alfred A. Brissette Jr., who was granted parole after serving only 15 years of a 35-year sentence for the murder of a Woonsocket woman in 1999. (Brissette was originally sentenced to 60 years, but required to serve 35 years. The parole board applied the 1/3 eligibility rule to the 35 years, rather than the 60.)
“The case of Alfred Brissette is just one example of a convicted murderer being released prior to serving even half of the imposed sentence,” he said. “This bill is about proper justice and truth in sentencing. The public expects that those convicted of such a violent crime as murder should do their time.”
In his testimony about the bill before the Senate Committee on Judiciary last week, Senator Raptakis also cited the case of Andrew Jett, who was freed on parole after serving less than half of a 40-year sentence he received for the 1992 killing of his girlfriend. Jett served only 18 years of the 40-year sentence and in August, 2012, he was arrested on charges that he murdered his new girlfriend.
The Raptakis legislation now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration. Co-sponsors include Sen. William A. Walaska (D-Dist. 30, Warwick), Sen. Frank S. Lombardi (D-Dist. 26, Cranston), Sen. Marc A. Cote (D-dist. 24, North Smithfield, Woonsocket) and Sen. Catherine Cool Rumsey (D-Dist. 34, Charlestown, Exeter, Hopkinton, Richmond,West Greenwich).
An identical House bill, 2013-H 5145, by Rep. Patricia A. Serpa (D-Dist. 27, West Warwick, Coventry, Warwick), is currently before the House Committee on Judiciary.