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BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Governor Baker commuted sentences on Wednesday for two convicted murderers.
Governor Baker approved the requests for Thomas Koonce and William Allen, paving the way for their first-degree murder convictions to be reduced to second-degree, which would make them eligible for parole.
Thomas Koonce is a 54-year-old former Marine who has served 30 years behind bars for the 1987 shooting death of a man in New Bedford. William Allen, 48 years old, has served 27 years in prison for a murder in Brockton in 1994.
The commutations become official only if and when they are approved by the Governor’s Council, and if approved, both men would be eligible for parole immediately.
This is the final year of Governor Baker’s second term in office, and this is the first time he has recommended a commutation.
In a statement, Governor Baker said he spent several months thinking about this. “I believe both men, having taken responsibility for their actions and paid their debt to the Commonwealth by serving sentences longer than most individuals found guilty of similar actions, deserve the right to seek parole from prison," he said.
He also points out that the Parole Board recently recommended commutation for both men.
WBZ's Carl Stevens (@carlwbz) reports:
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