Did Pennsylvania always have a life sentence for second degree murder?

Answer 1

No, but that's because the legislature made a fundamental change to the naming of crimes.

In most states, both Premeditated Murder and Felony Murder(a death that results from a violent felony) is considered First Degree Murder, as it once was in Pennsylvania. Second Degree Murder in those states is considered to be Un-premeditated murder.

In Pennsylvania, it currently goes like this:

First Degree Murder - Premeditated killing, punishable by death or life imprisonment.

Second Degree Murder - Felony murder, punishable by life imprisonment but not death.

Third Degree Murder - Un-premeditated murder that is not a felony murder.

The legislature did this because otherwise felony murder would be eligible for the death penalty. Few states have made felony murder punishable by death, although in the early 90's the supreme court ruled that it is constitutional for a defendant can receive the death penalty for felony murder under certain circumstances.

I suppose the legislature could have just added another provision without changing any names, but they did.