BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) -- Two New Orleans legislators have narrowly lost the latest effort to make 15- and 16-year-olds who commit the most serious of crimes eligible for parole at age 31.
The bill fell just four votes short of the 53 needed to gain passage Thursday afternoon in the state House. Representatives J.P. Morrell and Walter Leger III reserved the right to ask for another vote later in the session.
Supporters of the bill said it would provide a slight chance of eventual freedom for people who were too young to fully understand the consequences of their actions. Opponents said it would be unfair to victims and their families.
