DOVER, Del. (AP) - Delaware's governor has signed a bill giving state judges more discretion in sentencing criminals.
The bill signed Tuesday by Democratic Gov. John Carney expands the types of offenses for which a judge could impose concurrent, rather than consecutive, sentences. That means offenders convicted of multiple related crimes could face less prison time than what they would face under current law.
Crimes for which consecutive sentences would no longer be mandatory include manslaughter, second-degree kidnapping, home invasion, first-degree robbery and first-degree carjacking. Arson and burglary offenses also would be eligible for concurrent sentences.
The bill is the first of several criminal justice reform measures to be enacted into law after being proposed earlier this year by Democratic lawmakers and Attorney General Kathleen Jennings.
