FMEP in Joint Effort to Condemn Felony Murder in Massachusetts

To our friends and supporters -

Opposition to felony murder law continues to sweep the nation. This month, Felony Murder Elimination Project joined Boston University's Center for Anti-Racist Research, the National Association for Incarcerated Women and Girls, The Sentencing Project, Professor Kat Albrecht and the Massachusetts Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers in support of Derrell Fisher, a man convicted through the felony murder rule in Massachusetts.

Our collective work, submitted through Amicus Curiae, utilizes statistical analysis of conviction data in Massachusetts and other jurisdictions to prove that the felony murder rule should be abolished. 

Some notable findings :

In Massachusetts;

1. 70.1% of the population is White, while 82.1% of people serving Life Without Parole for felony murder are people of color. 

2. Two factors that contribute to these disturbing disparities are: 

• broad prosecutorial discretion afforded by felony murder
• the criminalization of young people and survivors of gender-based violence. 

3. Minor reforms to felony murder do not solve its overwhelming racism; we must abolish guilt by association if we are to solve the racism that pervades our criminal justice system.

4. Felony murder is illogical, immoral, and unconstitutional.

You can view and download the full brief, "Commonwealth v. Fisher: Amicus BU Center for Antiracist Research" (opens in PDF).