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Split Missouri Supreme Court upholds LWOP adult sentence for 15-year-old cop killer

By Douglas A. Berman

The Missouri Supreme Court today in a split 4-3 ruling upheld against various challenges an LWOP sentence for a 15-year-old murderer in Missouri v. Andrews, No. SC91006 (Mo. Dec. 21, 2010) (available here). Here is how the majority opinion gets started: Antonio Andrews appeals the jury's verdict finding him guilty of first degree murder for shooting and killing a police officer and the sentence imposed on him for that crime of life without parole.  This case came directly to this Court because Andrews challenges the constitutional validity of two Missouri statutes.  He challenges Missouri's juvenile-certification statute, § 211.071, RSMo 2000, as violating his right to a jury trial in a criminal prosecution under the Sixth Amendment as applied in Apprendi v...continue to full post

Full post as published by Sentencing Law and Policy on December 21, 2010 (boomark / email).