BREAKING NEWS – Harrisburg, Pennsylvania – The campaign of Democratic Senate candidate John Fetterman is walking back comments he made last year that appeared to call for the release of all second-degree murderers from Pennsylvania’s prisons.

Fetterman, the Pennsylvania lieutenant governor who chairs the state’s Board of Pardons (BOP), commissioned two reports last year released by Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity (PLSE) that recommended the BOP consider merit-based clemency for currently incarcerated second-degree murderers.

“People are confused, really confused,” Fetterman shouted at a rally, commenting on his controversial stance. “What I meant to say was, some people who were incarcerated, should uh… uh… receive second degree burns for committing murder. Yeah that’s it… yep… uh… uh… that’s what I meant. Roast this killers alive, and uh… after that, uh… I would pardon all arsonists.”