Minnesota Abolishes Life Without Parole for Juveniles
by Jordan Arizmendi
On May 19, 2023, Minnesota Governor Walz (D) signed omnibus public safety bill – SF 209, which abolishes life imprisonment without parole for minors. Under the bill, juvenile life-without-parole sentences will be retroactively eliminated. In addition, all minors who were sentenced in adult court will be eligible for supervised release after at least 15 years served in prison.
Executive director of the Minnesota Justice Research Center, Justine Terrell, told the Star Tribune that “Too often, the criminal legal system just focuses on punishment. But expanding restorative outcomes and making it a priority for the system means that you’re addressing the harm that’s been caused and that people can actually move on from that harm and that helps create safe communities.”
Ninety-seven Minnesotans are serving sentences of 15 years or more for crimes committed as minors. Now, most of them are eligible for a sentencing review.
Sources: cfsy.org; eji.org
More from this issue:
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- SCOTUS Announces ‘Right-to-Control’ Theory Not Valid Basis for Liability Under Federal Wire Fraud Statutes, by Richard Resch
- Texas Court of Criminal Appeals: Trial Court Deprived Defendant of Opportunity to Present Complete Defense, by Douglas Ankney
- SCOTUS: Honest-Services Fraud Jury Instructions Regarding Private Citizen Too Vague, by Richard Resch
- New Commission in Georgia Will Discipline and Remove Prosecutors Who Are Seen as Not Tough Enough on Crime, by Jo Ellen Nott
- Fifth Circuit: Placing Jacket Within Fenced-In Area of Home in Presence of Police Evidences Clear Intent Not to Abandon It, Warrantless Search Violates Fourth Amendment Rights, by Richard Resch
- California Court of Appeal Reiterates ‘Three Strikes’ Law Does Not Limit ‘Presentence’ Custody Credits, Defendant Entitled to Credits Calculated Under Penal Code § 4019, by Douglas Ankney
- Ninth Circuit: Government’s Inflammatory Arguments in Sentencing Memorandum and at Sentencing Hearing Implicitly Breached Plea Agreement Promise Not to Recommend Sentence in Excess of Low-End Guidelines Range, by Douglas Ankney
- Georgia Supreme Court Announces Overruling Longstanding Rule That Anything Filed by Defendant While Represented by Counsel Is Always a ‘Legal Nullity’, by Douglas Ankney
- Fourth Circuit: Denial of Motion for Compassionate Release Abuse of Discretion Where District Court Failed to Properly Address Numerous Health Issues, Advanced Age, and Relevant § 3553(a) Factors, by Douglas Ankney
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- Saul Kassin Probes Dangerous Practices in ‘Duped: Why Innocent People Confess-and Why We Believe Their Confessions’, by James Doyle
- Fourth Circuit: Counsel Ineffective for Failing to Raise Change in Sentencing Precedent Following Remand, by David Reutter
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- First Circuit: Plain Error Where District Court Based Upward Variant From Sentencing Guidelines Range on New Information Not Already in the Record at the Time of Sentencing, by Douglas Ankney
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- Civilian Police With Military Equipment, by Edward Lyon
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- Minnesota Abolishes Life Without Parole for Juveniles, by Jordan Arizmendi
- Louisiana Jury Selection Illegal According to Recently Passed Bill, by Kevin Bliss
- News in Brief
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More from these topics:
- Eighth Circuit Announces ‘Categorical Approach’ Applies to SORNA Tier Analysis, April 15, 2024. Sex Offender Registration, U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, Military.
- U.S. Sentencing Commission Greenlights Retroactive Sentence Reductions, March 1, 2024. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Guideline Amendment/Variances and Retroactivity.
- Ninth Circuit Announces District Courts Must Either Orally Pronounce All Discretionary ‘Standard’ Conditions of Supervised Release in the Presence of Defendant or Provide Conditions in Writing Prior to Sentencing, Feb. 15, 2024. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Applicable Guidelines Issues, Sentencing Hearing, Right to be Present, Conditions of, Remands/Rehearings/Resentencings.
- Fifth Circuit Announces Revocation Judgments for Violation of Supervised Release Vacated Because Underlying Sentence Vacated, Feb. 15, 2024. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Resentencing, Revocation/Modification of Probation, etc., Revocation Proceedings.
- Federal Sentencing Guidelines Undergo Substantial Amendments, Jan. 15, 2024. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, First Step Act, Violence Against Women Act, Criminal History, Qualifying Offenses, Sentence Enhancements/Departures, Sexual Abuse/Harrassment/Exploitation, Sexual Exploitation of Minors, Federally Protected Rights, Sexual Conduct with Minors, Sentences - Authorized, Safety Valve, Acceptance of Responsibility, Preservation of Judicial Resources, Legal or Factual Challenges - assertion of.
- Third Circuit: Pennsylvania Conviction for First-Degree Aggravated Assault Does Not Require Physical Force so Is Not Qualifying Predicate for ACCA Purposes, Dec. 15, 2023. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Three Strikes, Career Offenders, Three Strikes Statutes/Rule, Recidivist Enhancements.
- Sixth Circuit: District Court Committed Procedural Error by Impermissibly Ceding Its Discretion to Congress to Determine Guidelines’ Crack-to-Powder Ratio at Sentencing, Dec. 15, 2023. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Fair Sentencing Act of 2010, Sentencing Findings, Miscalculation of the Guidelines Sentencing Range.
- No Compassionate Release for Bank Robber Turned Angel of Mercy at North Carolina BOP Lockup, Dec. 1, 2023. Cancer, U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Compassionate Release.
- Ninth Circuit Revives Former Nevada Prisoner’s Claim for Deprivation of Sentence Credit, Nov. 15, 2023. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Credits, Denial of Due Process.
- 10th Circuit Reverses Guidelines Enhancement Because Possession of Ammo Does Not Facilitate Possession of a Firearm, Nov. 1, 2023. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Felon in Possession Statute, Stipulations.
