Amid pushback from human rights organizations, three states — California, Hawaii and Kentucky — have banned or restricted the application of the felony murder rule. But felony murder is different and really only exists in the United States. Ultimately, Hunter said, the felony murder rule is another tool in a prosecutor’s toolbox. While Kolar is critical of the felony murder rule, she noted that not all felony murder charges and convictions are disproportionate. She said that much of the critique of the felony murder rule comes from the rule’s potential for unfairness.