Lawmakers in Maryland are considering a new piece of legislation that would literally decriminalize and absolve residents under the age of 25 from being charged with a felony and a myriad of offenses.
Bill HB1180: “Criminal Law – Youth Accountability and Safety Act” says that it would prevent people 25 and under “from being convicted of murder in the first degree,” or “the perpetration or attempted perpetration of an additional crime listed under § 2-201(4)(i)-(xii) of the Criminal Law Article.”
According to the specifics of those articles of the Maryland Criminal Law Article, the currently proposed bill would absolve the criminals under 25 from the following crimes in connection with a murder:
(4) committed in the perpetration of or an attempt to perpetrate:
(i) arson in the first degree;
(ii) burning a barn, stable, tobacco house, warehouse, or other outbuilding that:
1. is not parcel to a dwelling; and
2. contains cattle, goods, wares, merchandise, horses, grain, hay, or tobacco;
(iii) burglary in the first, second, or third degree;
(iv) carjacking or armed carjacking;
(v) escape in the first degree from a State correctional facility or a local correctional facility;
(vi) kidnapping under § 3-502 or § 3-503(a)(2) of this article;
(vii) mayhem;
(viii) rape;
(ix) robbery under § 3-402 or § 3-403 of this article;
(x) sexual offense in the first or second degree;
(xi) sodomy as that crime existed before October 1, 2020; or
(xii) a violation of § 4-503 of this article concerning destructive devices.
The state’s Department of Legislative Services [of] Maryland published a “Racial Equity Impact Note” on March 1st, providing an analysis of the bill.
The bill would prohibit an individual under the age of 25 from being convicted of first-degree murder committed in the perpetration of or an attempt to perpetrate various felonies including carjacking, arson, burglary, rape, and various sex offenses.
The current penalty for first-degree murder, including felony murder as described in the bill, is imprisonment for life or life without the possibility of parole. A murder that is not in the first degree is considered second degree under statute, and a person who commits a murder in the second degree is also guilty of a felony and subject to imprisonment for a maximum of 40 years.
Accordingly, the bill would reduce the overall sentence length for individuals who committed felony murder prior to turning age 25 that would have been otherwise sentenced to life imprisonment under existing law.
The notice explained
The purported reasoning behind this change is to reduce the “disproportionately high rate” of “Black[s] or African American individuals in this age bracket who face arrest for murder.” According to cited statistics, Blacks made up 79% “of arrests for murder in 2020 despite comprising just 31% of the under age 25 population in the State,” versus only the 19% reported murders committed by Whites.
This [change] could allow an individual who may have committed a murder while committing another crime as a juvenile or young adult to have an opportunity to be released at a more mature age and possibly rehabilitate.
Accordingly, this would have a meaningful impact on individuals in this age bracket, particularly Black or African American individuals who generally face arrest for murder at a disproportionately high rate.
The briefing adds
There are currently 9 Maryland state representatives co-sponsoring this bill.
There of course has been pushback against the bill, such as Delegate Susan McComas stating,
Proponents of the bill say that the human brain is not fully formed in the frontal lobes until age 25. But yet, we’re doing other things in the general assembly, letting children vote earlier and earlier, letting them get hormone inducing drugs to change their sex.
If this bill passes, you’re going to have kingpins, you’re going to have gangs use juveniles to do their dirty work.
She said
Harford County Sheriff Jeff Gahler concurs:
The solution is not changing to law to excuse or to make excuses for the violator. The process that needs to be in place is to hold that person accountable.
He said
In March of last year Maryland lawmakers also introduced a bill that would effectively allow abortions to occur 28 days after the baby has exited the womb. Essentially the family would be decriminalized for what would normally be considered child neglect and abuse, if the mother decided to toss her newborn away. Since then the bill has stalled-out and has yet to have been picked-up for further deliberations.
RELATED: Kalamazoo Michigan Passes Law Decriminalizing Public Urination, Defecation, And Littering
AUTHOR COMMENTARY
[14] And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. [15] Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment. Isaiah 59:14-15
What more can I add? This country is so broken and destroyed. The wickedness in this once-blessed land is off the charts and is incomprehensible. So apparently, since there are more black people being arrested for committing crimes, let’s just decriminalize all these heinous acts and lessen the blow, to basically nothing at this point.
This pretty much creates a de-facto absolvent for crime in the state for all ages. So if a 26-year-old does these things he’s going to the slammers for life? Yeah right. When does the buck stop? What if a man above 65 commits these crimes: are we going to say he’s not in the right frame of mind because he’s old? It’s ridiculous.
[23] Make a chain: for the land is full of bloody crimes, and the city is full of violence. [24] Wherefore I will bring the worst of the heathen, and they shall possess their houses: I will also make the pomp of the strong to cease; and their holy places shall be defiled. [25] Destruction cometh; and they shall seek peace, and there shall be none. [26] Mischief shall come upon mischief, and rumour shall be upon rumour; then shall they seek a vision of the prophet; but the law shall perish from the priest, and counsel from the ancients. [27] The king shall mourn, and the prince shall be clothed with desolation, and the hands of the people of the land shall be troubled: I will do unto them after their way, and according to their deserts will I judge them; and they shall know that I am the LORD. Ezekiel7:23-27
[7] Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? [8] Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? [9] For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? [10] Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. (1 Corinthians 9:7-10).
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While this is injustice at its most asinine, it’s also God’s judgement on this KJB-rejecting land called America.
Also, if somebody commits a crime, whether at age 25, or 55, or 105, bring them to justice!
And whether they’re white, black, Latino, Asian, green with blue spots, bring them to justice!
green with blue spots lol
that gave me a good chuckle
hey tou never know now a days with those crysper home kits out on the loose lol
lol what is it now a days with crazies running nations.
Jacob what was the name of that french prince to helped fight off many popes and their jesuit armies ?
i keep forgetting his name but i know his historical story and its really bugging me thatbi cant remember his name.