The Michigan Supreme Court is set to re-examine the life-without-parole sentences of three men who have spent two decades in prison after being convicted of murder at ages 18, 19, and 20.
The justices will consider several factors, including the age and immaturity of the individuals, their family and home environment, and the circumstances of the crimes.
In 2022, the court ruled that mandatory no-parole sentences for 18-year-olds convicted of murder violated the state constitution’s prohibition on cruel or unusual punishment. It will now decide whether to extend the ruling to 19 and 20-year-olds.
Quinn Yeargain is a law professor at Michigan State University who supports the court’s decision to review these cases.
“There’s a good amount of literature out there suggesting that people who are in their late teens and even going into their early twenties, their brains are not fully developed,” Yeargain said. “Tthat’s sort of the basis of this, this constitutional challenge.”
Critics of reducing life sentences for young offenders argue it’s contradictory to claim individuals old enough to vote, marry, and obtain abortions without parental consent shouldn’t be held fully accountable for their serious crimes.
