State of Tennessee v. Tyshon Booker
SummaryOriginal

Summary

Court ruled mandatory life sentences for juveniles violated Eighth Amendment, requiring a new hearing that considers his age and potential for rehabilitation.

2022 | State Juristiction

State of Tennessee v. Tyshon Booker

Keywords defacto life sentence; juvenile sentencing; rehabilitation of juveniles; juvenile offender; LWOP; juvenile life without parole

Abstract

Tyshon Booker, convicted of murder at 16, received a mandatory life sentence without parole in Tennessee. He appealed, arguing the sentence violated the Eighth Amendment's protection against cruel and unusual punishment. The Tennessee Supreme Court agreed. They found mandatory life sentences for juveniles without considering their age and potential for rehabilitation were unconstitutional. The court ruled Booker was entitled to a new sentencing hearing that factored in his youth and allowed for the possibility of parole.

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Abstract

Tyshon Booker, convicted of murder at 16, received a mandatory life sentence without parole in Tennessee. He appealed, arguing the sentence violated the Eighth Amendment's protection against cruel and unusual punishment. The Tennessee Supreme Court agreed. They found mandatory life sentences for juveniles without considering their age and potential for rehabilitation were unconstitutional. The court ruled Booker was entitled to a new sentencing hearing that factored in his youth and allowed for the possibility of parole.

In the case of Tyshon Booker, the Tennessee Supreme Court ruled that mandatory life sentences without the possibility of parole for juveniles constitute a violation of the Eighth Amendment's prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. Booker, who was convicted of murder at the age of 16, was granted a new sentencing hearing following the court's determination that sentencing courts must consider a juvenile offender's age and capacity for rehabilitation. The court held that failing to do so when imposing a sentence of life without parole runs afoul of constitutional protections.

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Abstract

Tyshon Booker, convicted of murder at 16, received a mandatory life sentence without parole in Tennessee. He appealed, arguing the sentence violated the Eighth Amendment's protection against cruel and unusual punishment. The Tennessee Supreme Court agreed. They found mandatory life sentences for juveniles without considering their age and potential for rehabilitation were unconstitutional. The court ruled Booker was entitled to a new sentencing hearing that factored in his youth and allowed for the possibility of parole.

Tyshon Booker, who was convicted of murder at the age of 16 and received a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole in Tennessee, successfully appealed his sentence on Eighth Amendment grounds. The Tennessee Supreme Court ruled in Booker's favor, holding that mandatory life sentences without parole for juveniles constitute cruel and unusual punishment because they fail to consider the defendant's youth and potential for rehabilitation. The court determined that Booker is entitled to a new sentencing hearing where his age at the time of the offense and his capacity for rehabilitation will be taken into account, thereby allowing for the possibility of parole.

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Abstract

Tyshon Booker, convicted of murder at 16, received a mandatory life sentence without parole in Tennessee. He appealed, arguing the sentence violated the Eighth Amendment's protection against cruel and unusual punishment. The Tennessee Supreme Court agreed. They found mandatory life sentences for juveniles without considering their age and potential for rehabilitation were unconstitutional. The court ruled Booker was entitled to a new sentencing hearing that factored in his youth and allowed for the possibility of parole.

Tyshon Booker was given a life sentence without the possibility of parole for murder when he was only 16 years old. He decided to appeal his sentence, arguing that it was a violation of the Eighth Amendment, which protects against cruel and unusual punishment. The Tennessee Supreme Court agreed with Booker. They decided that mandatory life sentences for young people like Booker, without thinking about their age and chance for rehabilitation, were unconstitutional. The court ruled that Booker deserved a new sentencing hearing where his youth and the potential for parole would be considered.

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Abstract

Tyshon Booker, convicted of murder at 16, received a mandatory life sentence without parole in Tennessee. He appealed, arguing the sentence violated the Eighth Amendment's protection against cruel and unusual punishment. The Tennessee Supreme Court agreed. They found mandatory life sentences for juveniles without considering their age and potential for rehabilitation were unconstitutional. The court ruled Booker was entitled to a new sentencing hearing that factored in his youth and allowed for the possibility of parole.

Tyshon Booker was only 16 years old when he was found guilty of murder in Tennessee. Because of his age, the judge had no choice but to sentence him to life in prison without the possibility of ever getting out. Booker asked a higher court to look at his case again, arguing that such a harsh sentence for someone so young was unfair and wrong. The Tennessee Supreme Court, the highest court in the state, agreed with Booker. The court said that forcing teenagers to spend the rest of their lives in prison without considering their young age and if they could change their lives was against the rules of the U.S. Constitution. As a result, the court decided that Booker should get a new sentencing hearing. At this new hearing, the judge will have to think about Booker's age when the crime happened and the possibility of him being released from prison in the future.

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Footnotes and Citation

Cite

State of Tennessee v. Tyshon Booker, No. E2018-01439-SC-R11-CD (Tenn. Nov. 18, 2022).

Highlights