| Nebraska legislature is refusing consideration by parole board of commutation of sentence after 20 years for juveniles convicted of major crimes before their 18th birthday. It seems to me that this may run afoul of the U.S. Constitution and recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions which the article cites. Just as a matter of policy, it seems to me that anything sentencing youth under 18 to life without parole or consideration of it would possibly leave many imprisoned without even consideration by a later parole board. Many convictions are handed down in the heat of emotions of the time and against certain classes of people, or possibly primarily because they "look ugly" or some other arbitrary factor. If they are young AND poor, and the emotionality of that time goes against them, they are paying disproportionately to what a wealthier youth that could have afforded the best of defense would. |
Read the rest of the story HERE:
At nebraska.statepaper.com
At nebraska.statepaper.com
