Los Angeles County Superior Court
PASADENA — Judge Terry L. Smerling has a backlog of petitions in the corner of his office. They all ask for updated rulings on many of his older criminal cases after a law passed eliminating the felony murder rule that brought lengthy sentences for those who aid or abet murderers.
“A couple years ago the Legislature passed a law changing the law on murder, and making it that aiders and abettors are no longer culpable for murde... (continued)