CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Kanawha County Delegate Dana Ferrell said he planned to introduce a bill during the upcoming regular legislative session to increase the minimum sentence for anyone convicted of first degree murder. Currently if a convicted killer is granted mercy in sentencing, they become eligible for parole in 15 years. Ferrell said that’s not nearly enough.
“A typical house mortgage is 30 years, so in half the time you can pay off your house somebody could murder somebody and be back out on the street,” Ferrell told MetroNews Midday.
The issue has become a topic of interest in recent months and was championed by Kanawha County Commissioner Ben Salango whose wife’s brother was murdered by a man who was sentenced to life with mercy. Under the statute if a person is denied parole, they could come up for parole again in one to three years at the discretion of the state parole board. Salango said it forced his wife’s family to relive the panful tragedy every time the parole hearing nears.
“The key thing here is we’re looking at the victims. Is it the right thing to drag that family that’s been through such a horrible incident back and to go through this again after 15 years while it’s still raw, and then every so many years after that?” Ferrell said.
Salango, speaking on MetroNews Talkline about the issue wanted to see the minimum raised to 35 years. Ferrell said for the purpose of his legislation he’s proposed 25 years as a minimum, but added he knows there are a lot of numbers being floated and where it finally lands will be part of the legislative process.
“At 25 at least there’s a generation plus five years before it would take place,” he said.
Ferrell unveiled his idea to the public in a press conference Tuesday. He was surrounded by members of the House Judiciary Committee from both parties and believed they would be able to generate a bill and get it to the Senate to consider. He also felt confident the Senate would be willing to work on the issue as well because it has received significant attention.
“This is bi-partisan support and bi-cameral support. I think the general public wants us to address the issue. We’ll be sensitive not to over-correct and get to the point where we’re defeating the purpose of what we want to do,” he explained.
The increased cost of incarceration has been brought up as part of the ongoing discussion, but Ferrell said to him it was a non-factor for this particular subject.
“Our first duty as elected representatives at any level is for the safety and well being of the citizens we serve. No way am I going to let the cost of jail time be a factor in trying to do the right thing to protect the general public,” he said.