Maryland’s top court Wednesday put to work its landmark August decision upholding the constitutionality of life sentences for juvenile offenders as it agreed to hear three convicted lifers’ appeals but then summarily affirmed their punishments.

Tagged with: Eighth Amendment Graham v. Florida juvenile offenders Larry Hogan life sentences

Saying murder victims' loved ones have a right to finality, a Maryland victims’ rights group is urging the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the pending resentencing of a man serving a life-without-parole sentence for committing sniper-style slayings in the Washington area in 2002, when he was a teenager.

Tagged with: Eighth Amendment juvenile lifers lee boyd malvo Maryland Crime Victims’ Resource Center Miller v. Alabama Montgomery v. Louisiana

A sharply divided Maryland high court Wednesday upheld life sentences for juvenile offenders, saying they have a constitutionally required 'meaningful opportunity' for release based on their maturity and rehabilitation behind bars.

Tagged with: Eighth Amendment Graham v. Florida juvenile offenders Larry Hogan life sentences

ANNAPOLIS – Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan signed an executive order Friday stating he will give juvenile offenders serving life sentences a “meaningful opportunity for release” based on their demonstrated maturity and rehabilitation while in prison – standards set by the ...

Tagged with: cruel and unusual punishment Eighth Amendment Graham v. Florida juvenile crime Larry Hogan

ANNAPOLIS – The Maryland Court of Appeals should set parole-reviewing standards to ensure that people sentenced as juveniles to life in prison have a “meaningful opportunity” for release based on their maturity and rehabilitation behind bars as required by the ...

Tagged with: cruel and unusual punishment Eighth Amendment Graham v. Florida juvenile crime

Maryland’s top court will consider whether a man sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole for the brutal slayings of three people and the attempted murder of two others while a juvenile was improperly granted a motion ...

Tagged with: cruel and unusual punishment Eighth Amendment Graham v. Florida juvenile crime

ANNAPOLIS — Maryland’s top court will consider whether people sentenced to life in prison for crimes committed as juveniles have a “meaningful opportunity” for clemency or parole by the state based on their maturity and rehabilitation behind bars, as required ...

Tagged with: cruel and unusual punishment Eighth Amendment Graham v. Florida juvenile crime

A federal magistrate judge will decide this week whether certain documents relating to the parole process should be turned over to the plaintiffs challenging Maryland’s treatment of juvenile lifers. Judge J. Mark Coulson heard arguments Tuesday and said he expects ...

Tagged with: Eighth Amendment juvenile lifers maryland restorative justice initiative U.S. District Court

Maryland’s top court will weigh if a set-to-music victim-impact video meant to stir a judge’s emotions violated a defendant’s constitutional rights.

Tagged with: 14th Amendment due process Eighth Amendment fair trial victim-impact statements

Litigation over the constitutionality of Maryland’s treatment of juvenile offenders sentenced to life in prison was referred to a federal magistrate judge for a settlement conference last week but the parties will still proceed with a months-long discovery process. U.S. District ...

Tagged with: Eighth Amendment juvenile offenders life sentence U.S. District Court