Suburbs Also Impacted By Supreme Court Ruling On Juvenile Life Sentences
NORRISTOWN, Pa. (CBS) - It's still somewhat unclear exactly what impact Monday's Supreme Court ruling on mandatory life sentences for juveniles will have. The decision says the sentences must be reviewed – but it doesn't make clear how sentencing should then be handled.
The ruling will have a huge impact on Philadelphia, as the city has the highest percentage of inmates sentenced to life as juveniles – more than 300. But the ruling is also affecting suburban counties.
The ruling basically clarifies a 2012 decision that said mandatory life sentences without parole for juveniles are unconstitutional. This ruling, in Montgomery v. Louisiana, says that ruling must be applied retroactively.
Montgomery County DA Kevin Steele says there are five cases in his county that could be affected. All the convictions were for murder -- four of them were 17 when they killed their victims. The other was 16. They range from 1986 through 1999.
Steele says in a statement they are evaluating the ruling and determining what needs to be done.
Bucks County District Attorney David Heckler says there are six cases in Bucks county that could be affected.
