The Massachusetts Parole Board has granted parole to 39 individuals convicted of murder who were originally sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, following a landmark state Supreme Judicial Court decision that upended sentencing practices for a specific group of offenders. 

Under the 2024 Commonwealth v. Mattis ruling, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court held that it is unconstitutional to impose life-without-parole sentences on people who were 18, 19 or 20 years old at the time of their offense. The court defined those in that age range as “emerging adults."

As a result, individuals who previously had no opportunity for release were made eligible for parole hearings. In recent months, the Parole Board has processed dozens of cases under that framework, ultimately approving the release of 39 murder convicts while denying parole to a dozen others. 

D.A. concerned about victims' families

Plymouth District Attorney Timothy Cruz criticized the board’s actions, arguing that using youth at the time of the crime as a basis for release effectively turns parole eligibility into what he called an “eventual get-out-of-jail-free card.” Cruz also contended that the board’s approach does not adequately recognize the suffering of victims’ families or ensure that public safety is protected.

The Parole Board emphasized that its decisions are guided by legal standards and a thorough evaluation of each individual’s rehabilitation and readiness for supervised release. A board spokesperson said the process strives to balance accountability, public safety, and respect for victims and survivors. 

The Mattis ruling has had wide implications beyond these releases: hundreds of individuals convicted of serious crimes in Massachusetts now have the legal right to have their life sentences reviewed under the state’s parole eligibility framework.