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Life Without Parole For Rape at 13 Cruel and Unusual?

By Corey Rayburnyung

A man who was convicted of rape at age 13 (he is now 33) and sentenced to life without parole is petitioning the Supreme Court to consider whether his sentence is a violation of the Eighth Amendment's prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment. Sentencing Law & Policy has more. You may read his petition for a writ of certiorari here. From the New York Times:In 1989, someone raped a 72-year-old woman in Pensacola, Fla. Joe Sullivan was 13 at the time, and he admitted that he and two older friends had burglarized the woman?s home earlier that day. But he denied that he had returned to commit the rape.The victim testified that her assailant was ?a colored boy? who ?had kinky hair and he was quite black and he was small.? She said she ?did not see him full in the face? and so would not recognize him by sight...continue to full post

Full post as published by Sex Crimes on February 02, 2009 (boomark / email).