Free Codie: Incarcerated due to a harsh application of the felony murder rule

Codie has been incarcerated for over 13 years for punching someone 3 times. He was sentenced to 20-50 years in prison under the felony murder rule, a legal doctrine that, in this case, led to an exceptionally severe outcome.

In 2011, at just 20 years old, Codie had a falling out with a friend, Ashton, over a girl. It was a typical dispute between young men—Ashton called Codie and their mutual friend, Jeremie, “lame,” and Codie responded by saying he wanted to fight Ashton.

A couple of weeks later, Codie and Jeremie dropped Codie's puppy off at the girl’s house, where she had agreed to look after it. When they returned later to pick up the dog, they found Ashton there. Codie and Jeremie exchanged words with Ashton and the girl asked them to leave; Codie complied and went downstairs to retrieve his dog from the backyard, leaving Jeremie upstairs. The dog ran up to the bedroom to see what the commotion was and Codie heard Jeremie shout “don’t throw [Codie]’s dog!”. Alarmed, Codie rushed upstairs and punched Ashton three times before leaving the room. Jeremie then attacked Ashton, punching him multiple times and stomping on his head. 

Initially, Ashton appeared to have only minor injuries, but his condition deteriorated overnight. The next day he was taken to hospital where he tragically passed away following surgery. Codie and Jeremie were both arrested and charged with first degree murder under the felony murder rule. Codie was sentenced to 20-50 years in prison.

A Sentence That Doesn't Fit the Crime

In similar cases, individuals are typically charged with manslaughter or second-degree murder, carrying significantly shorter sentences. However, Codie’s case was treated differently due to a legal technicality:

• Because Codie had made a passing comment weeks earlier about wanting to fight Ashton, prosecutors argued that his presence in the house constituted burglary (as entering a home with intent to commit battery qualifies as burglary).
• Under the felony murder rule, when someone dies during the commission of a burglary, it is automatically classified as first-degree murder—even if the person charged did not cause the death.

Even Judge Jerome Paloha, who sentenced Codie, acknowledged during the sentencing that Codie never intended for anyone to die.

Why We Are Fighting for Codie's Release

Codie has now spent more than 13 years in prison. He deeply regrets his actions and takes full responsibility for his role in the tragic events of that day. However, he never intended to kill his friend. No weapons were involved, and there was no premeditation beyond a fleeting remark made weeks prior. Codie entered the house to retrieve his dog—not to commit a crime.

We believe Codie has paid his debt to society. It is time for him to come home and rebuild his life.

We urge you to sign and share this petition to raise awareness of Codie’s case and push for his sentence to be commuted immediately. Justice should be fair—not dictated by inflexible legal technicalities.