Juveniles serving life sentences could get parole

SPRINGFIELD -- Nearly 18 years ago, New Trier High School student David Biro took a deadly path.

Biro, then 16, killed a young Winnetka couple and their unborn child on the night of April 7, 1990. Biro was sentenced to three consecutive life terms in prison.

But even Biro could get a chance for parole after serving as few as 10 years, under pending state legislation involving juveniles facing life terms.

State Rep. Robert Molaro, a Chicago Democrat, proposed that minors sentenced to spend the rest of their lives in prison get a second chance at parole.

A request couldn't be filed until the person had served 10 years of the life sentence. The Illinois Prisoner Review Board would then consider it.

Prosecutors think it's a flawed idea.

Lake County State's Attorney Mike Waller said it would re-open cases that just don't need to be touched.

"A lot of time and effort went into resolving the cases and now to come along and open them all up for review is just unwarranted, unmerited and really will cause a lot of grief and hardship for family members of the victims," Waller said. "Although (the convicts) were young at the time, they committed the crimes. They committed horrendous crimes for which they deserve the life sentence."

Similar opposition is registering with Molaro. He said he plans hearings with victims' families and prosecutors in Chicago and Springfield before asking colleagues to consider the proposal.

"But it'll be this spring," Molaro said of a potential vote.

A recent report by the Illinois Coalition for the Fair Sentencing of Children found 103 juveniles in Illinois are serving life sentences without parole. Almost all were convicted for playing a firsthand role in the murders of their victims.

The group released the study last month, concurrently with Molaro's proposed legislation. It contended brain research shows teens lack full development or ability to think through the consequences of their actions.

Waller, who previously served on a state panel that recommended reforms to the death penalty, added that he thinks the group's study looked at the wrong issues.

"If you look at the facts of the case, the crimes merit a life sentence," Waller said. "If there are a few cases that merit relief, there's a process to apply to the governor for reduction in sentence. That path is available now and that's what should be used."