FMEP Board Member Testifies in Support of SB94 at Hearing

Felony Murder Elimination Project is delighted to announce that SB 94 has passed the Senate Public Safety Committee.  SB 94 will allow individuals sentenced to death or life without parole for events that took place before June of 1990, and who have served at least 20 years of their sentence, to have judicial review of their sentences.

Next step: Senate Appropriations Committee!

To view FMEP Board Member Chryl Lamar's powerful testimony in front of the legislators who make up the public safety committee, visit this link.

Chryl "Ms." Lamar is an advocate with the California Coalition for Women Prisoners. Ms. Lamar was incarcerated in September 1986 and survived the next 34 years of an LWOP sentence. Lamar was released December 2020, at age 69. We are so proud to have her on our board.

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Alt text of Chryl Lamar testimony:

My name is Chyrl Lamar, and after being commuted by Governor Newsom, I came home December 2020 after serving 34 years on a double LWOP sentence.  Decades of self-motivated rehabilitation allowed me to understand how my childhood impacted my life and crime, for example being abandoned at one month old by my mother and being molested at the age of 9 by family members, and take full responsibility for my healing.

Had I still been inside today I would be eligible for SB94 should it pass. SB94 would restore judicial discretion, allowing judges to review cases that were imposed in the 1970s and 80s. This bill does not guarantee resentencing or release, but allows judges to decide if a parole-eligible sentence is in line with modern-day sentencing practices.

Realizing that there were no parole options available for me, I still exhibited decades of exemplary behavior, participated in self-motivated self-help programming, working to understand the root cause of my behavior to be truly accountable for my actions. It changed and transformed me, and I devoted myself to becoming a positive member of my community inside the justice system. 

My sentence told me I had no hope or chance, yet I maintained hope. Society had written me off as the worst of the worst, yet I have proven that it is possible to reenter society and become a productive member dedicated to giving back.

After spending my entire adult life inside, I know there are so many elderly serving LWOP and the death penalty that are doing positive programming or are too sick to work. They deserve a second look. SB94 would be beneficial for public safety, public health, and our budget. I urge you to take this into consideration and pass this bill. 

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