Abstract
Alejandro Estrada-Huerta, convicted as a juvenile for kidnapping and sexual assault, challenged his sentence on appeal after the U.S. Supreme Court banned life without parole for juvenile non-homicide offenders. The Colorado Supreme Court held that Estrada-Huerta's case did not fall under this rule because his consecutive sentences, though lengthy, did not equate to life without parole since he remained eligible for parole at a specific point.
Abstract
Alejandro Estrada-Huerta, convicted as a juvenile for kidnapping and sexual assault, challenged his sentence on appeal after the U.S. Supreme Court banned life without parole for juvenile non-homicide offenders. The Colorado Supreme Court held that Estrada-Huerta's case did not fall under this rule because his consecutive sentences, though lengthy, did not equate to life without parole since he remained eligible for parole at a specific point.
Following the U.S. Supreme Court's prohibition of life sentences without the possibility of parole for juvenile offenders in non-homicide cases, Alejandro Estrada-Huerta, who was convicted as a juvenile for kidnapping and sexual assault, contested his sentence. The Colorado Supreme Court ruled that Estrada-Huerta's sentence, while comprised of lengthy consecutive terms, did not constitute life without parole because he retained eventual eligibility for parole.
Abstract
Alejandro Estrada-Huerta, convicted as a juvenile for kidnapping and sexual assault, challenged his sentence on appeal after the U.S. Supreme Court banned life without parole for juvenile non-homicide offenders. The Colorado Supreme Court held that Estrada-Huerta's case did not fall under this rule because his consecutive sentences, though lengthy, did not equate to life without parole since he remained eligible for parole at a specific point.
Alejandro Estrada-Huerta, who was convicted as a minor for kidnapping and sexual assault, appealed his sentence following a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision that prohibited life sentences without parole for juvenile offenders in non-homicide cases. The Colorado Supreme Court, however, ruled that Estrada-Huerta's sentence did not violate this ruling. Despite receiving consecutive sentences that resulted in a significant prison term, the court determined that his eligibility for parole at a later date meant his sentence did not constitute life without parole.
Abstract
Alejandro Estrada-Huerta, convicted as a juvenile for kidnapping and sexual assault, challenged his sentence on appeal after the U.S. Supreme Court banned life without parole for juvenile non-homicide offenders. The Colorado Supreme Court held that Estrada-Huerta's case did not fall under this rule because his consecutive sentences, though lengthy, did not equate to life without parole since he remained eligible for parole at a specific point.
Alejandro Estrada-Huerta, who was found guilty of kidnapping and sexual assault as a teenager, argued against his punishment in court. He claimed that his sentence should be reconsidered because the highest court in the U.S. decided that juveniles who commit crimes that don't involve murder can't be jailed for life without the possibility of parole. The Colorado Supreme Court, however, stated that Estrada-Huerta's case wasn't the same because even though his sentences are long, he would still be eligible for parole someday, meaning it's not technically life without parole.
Abstract
Alejandro Estrada-Huerta, convicted as a juvenile for kidnapping and sexual assault, challenged his sentence on appeal after the U.S. Supreme Court banned life without parole for juvenile non-homicide offenders. The Colorado Supreme Court held that Estrada-Huerta's case did not fall under this rule because his consecutive sentences, though lengthy, did not equate to life without parole since he remained eligible for parole at a specific point.
Alejandro Estrada-Huerta was found guilty of kidnapping and sexual assault when he was a teenager. He was given a very long sentence, but could be released on parole (early release for good behavior) at some point. Later, the highest court in the United States said that teenagers who didn't kill anyone couldn't be sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole. Estrada-Huerta argued that his sentence was unfair because it was so long. However, the highest court in Colorado decided that his case was different because he could still be released on parole someday, even if it was a long time away.