If you watched any football this weekend, you saw the ads from Dr. Oz saying John Fetterman wants to put murderers and other felons back on the street. Is this true?
Like most things in politics, the answer is nuanced.
“John Fetterman wants to release convicted murderers from prison. John Fetterman wants to release one-third of all prisoners and eliminate life sentences for murderers,” said ads from Dr. Mehmet Oz.
Oz's campaign ads are hammering Democrat and current Lt. Gov. John Fetterman's views on crime, which he spoke about in November 2021.
“I'm proud that we have secured more pardons than any other administration in history,” Fetterman said during the hour-and-a-half virtual meeting spotlighting his views on pardons.
Fetterman, who heads the state's Board of Pardons, says he wants to eliminate mandatory life sentences for those convicted of felony murder, or what's known as second-degree murder.
Pennsylvania is one of nine states where someone who didn't kill a person but was involved, whether it be as a lookout, or driver of a car used in the crime, is given a mandatory life sentence without parole. This currently applies to more than 1,100 Pennsylvania inmates.
“I've had a long-standing belief that second chances are critical,” Fetterman added.
Fetterman has not said that applies to first-degree murder.
But Oz's website, Inmates for John Fetterman, highlights cases where Fetterman was involved in fighting for pardons. This includes brothers Lee and Dennis Horton. Oz says they're two convicted murderers who work on Fetterman's campaign.
In the early 90s, the pair gave a ride to a childhood friend, who had just committed murder, unbeknownst to them. In 2021, after 28 years behind bars, their life sentence was unanimously commuted by the parole board. The actual murderer was released in 2008.
Fetterman says it's the perfect example of why the law needs to be changed.
“We need a more holistic approach and balance and the need of justice and victims and the ultimate penalty of dying in prison,” Fetterman added.
Oz's ads also say Fetterman wants to release one-third of prisoners.
In several tweets, Fetterman said he was referring to a statement the former corrections secretary said about it not being an issue for public safety. Fetterman has said the money used to house many prisoners could be better spent, like on education.
We did reach out to the Oz campaign for comments of if it wants to clarify the ads' assertions, but did not hear back.
