Cruel And Unusual! Life Sentence For 14 Year Old Convicted Of Murder Violates 8th Amendment

The spigot is running.  In a 5-4 decision, Kagan wrote for the majority striking down a life sentence for two juvenile offenders who received life sentences in homicides.  Both were fourteen years old.  The Court was ruling in Jackson v. Hobbs and Miller v. Alabama.

Update:

The Miller and Jackson decisions are here. The essential point is that mandatory life sentences – where a jury may not consider mitigators – are unacceptable for children of such tender age.  It seems fairly clear – and certainly clear from the dissents – that this rule applies to children up through the age of 17.

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