Goddard College students prompted plenty of outrage when they invited a school alumnus and convicted felon, Mumia Abu-Jamal, to speak at their Oct. 5 graduation from behind bars. Governor Tom Corbett called the college’s decision “unconscionable.” Police protested outside the Vermont college, bearing pictures of fallen police officer Daniel Faulkner. And now, Montgomery County State Representative Mike Vereb has introduced a bill to give the families of victims the right to silence convicted felons.

The bill, which was announced with support of the governor and Faulkner’s wife, Maureen, could give victims the right to take convicts to court for causing “mental anguish” by discussing their experiences, even giving prosecutors the right to ask for injunctions against speech.

The ACLU of Pennsylvania called the bill over-broad, arguing that it would erode first amendment rights felons behind bars as well as those with a conviction record who have already served their time.

Abu-Jamal, journalist and founder of the Philadelphia Black Panther Party, was convicted of murder for the 1981 shooting death of Faulkner. In 1996, he earned his Goddard degree from behind bars. His graduation speech, which was pre-recorded and played for about 20 students, did not discuss the crime for which he was convicted.