True Bill Talk's newest episode takes you inside a Tennessee State Senate Judiciary Committee hearing where state senators examined proposed legislation to eliminate felony murder and accomplice liability in Tennessee. These are complex doctrines with serious implications for people, especially if someone gets involved in a crime that results in another person's death – even if none of the perpetrators intended that someone be killed.
In the episode, I break down how felony murder allows prosecutors to charge a getaway driver in the same way as the person who planned a robbery and pulled the trigger. I also explain why abolishing felony murder would be problematic, but that legislators have good reasons for wanting to modify the doctrine. Tennessee may not eliminate this controversial law anytime soon, but there does seem to be some interest in making changes -- maybe not this coming legislative session, but possibly sooner than we think.
