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Md. high court weighs if judges must list maturity factors in sentencing juveniles
Judges sentencing juveniles convicted of first-degree felony murder must state on the record that they considered the convicts’ youth, lack of maturity, impulsiveness and susceptibility to peer pressure before handing down the punishment, a defense attorney argued to Maryland’s top court Tuesday. Such an express statement from the bench is necessary to help ensure that […]
Md. high court weighs juvenile lifers’ right to counsel at parole hearing
Convicts sentenced to life in prison for crimes committed as juveniles have a constitutional right to counsel at parole hearings to ensure they have a “meaningful opportunity” to make their case for early release, a public defender argued to Maryland’s top court Thursday. But a lawyer for the state countered that the right to counsel […]
Maryland high court will hear appeal by Baltimore County officer’s convicted teen killer
Maryland’s top court agreed to hear the appeal of a teen convicted of felony murder and sentenced to life in prison for running into and killing a Baltimore County police officer.
Md. high court weighs ending school suspension as juvenile probation violation
Suspension from school should no longer be regarded as a probation violation for juvenile offenders because it cedes a judicial function to the discretion of school administrators whose vague standards of behavior warranting suspension are often imposed disproportionately on Black students and pupils with disabilities, a defense attorney told Maryland’s top court Thursday. Tying a […]
Md. high court opens term, will hear sniper, student school board member cases
Maryland’s top court opened its 2021-2022 session Wednesday, a term in which it will take up the appeal of a Beltway sniper in considering whether the state constitution permits violent juvenile offenders ever to be sentenced to life without parole. The Court of Appeals will also weigh whether counties violate the Maryland Constitution by having […]
Maryland appeals court upholds conviction of officer’s teenaged killer
Appeals court affirms felony murder conviction and life sentence of Baltimore teen who accelerated a stolen Jeep, killing an officer who had told him to stop.
Maryland high court sets limits for transferring juvenile cases to adult court
Top court says public safety does not outweigh accused young offender’s amenability to rehabilitation in deciding if he or she should be tried as adult.
Hogan vetoes bill to ban juvenile life without parole
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan on Thursday vetoed a measure that would prohibit juveniles convicted of rape or murder from being sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The Senate and House of Delegates are expected to vote in the coming days to try to override the Republican governor’s veto of legislation its […]
Md. Senate approves ban on juvenile life without parole
The Maryland Senate passed legislation Thursday night that would prohibit juveniles convicted of rape and murder from being sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Senate Bill 494 would permit juveniles given lifetime sentences to become eligible for parole after serving 20 years. With the Democratic-led Senate’s 32-15 vote, largely along party […]
Md. Senate preliminarily OKs ban on juvenile life without parole
The Maryland Senate gave preliminary approval Wednesday to legislation that would prohibit murderers and rapists from being sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole if they were juveniles when they killed or raped. The Senate could vote as early as Thursday on final approval of the measure, which would permit juveniles given […]
Lawmakers will consider tenants’ right to counsel, juvenile justice reform
A pandemic-fueled economic freefall and nationwide protests calling for criminal justice reform have spurred Maryland legislators to examine ways to enhance legal representation for low-income residents facing eviction and to protect the rights of imprisoned or criminally charged youngsters this coming General Assembly session. Lawmakers said they will push for legislation that would give financia[...]
Chief Judge Barbera issues order protecting juvenile jail population
In an effort to protect the state’s juvenile jail population from the COVID-19 virus, Maryland’s top jurist told the state’s judges Monday to release those youngsters in detention or commitment whose release would not pose a danger to themselves or others and who have a home or other facility to go to serve their sentence, among other factors.
