State v. Suarez
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Summary

The Appellate Division rejected Michael Suarez’s bid for resentencing, holding Comer applies only to juveniles under 18. Suarez, 19 at the time of a 1991 murder and robbery, remains ineligible. Court affirmed denial of relief.

2025 | State Juristiction

State v. Suarez

Keywords resentencing; Comer; juveniles; under 18; emerging adults; murder; robbery
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Summary

The Appellate Division rejected Michael Suarez’s request for resentencing. The court determined that the Comer legal precedent applies solely to individuals under the age of eighteen. As Mr. Suarez was nineteen years old when the murder and robbery offenses occurred in 1991, he remains ineligible for resentencing under this ruling. The court subsequently affirmed the denial of his requested relief.

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Summary

The Appellate Division denied Michael Suarez's request for resentencing. The court determined that the legal standard known as Comer applies only to individuals under the age of 18. Since Suarez was 19 years old at the time he committed a murder and robbery in 1991, he is not eligible for such relief. The court upheld the decision to deny his appeal.

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Summary

The Appellate Division denied Michael Suarez's request to be resentenced, ruling that the legal principle known as Comer only applies to individuals who were under 18 years old. Mr. Suarez was 19 at the time of a murder and robbery in 1991, which means he is not eligible for resentencing under this rule. The court upheld the decision to deny his request for relief.

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Summary

A higher court said no to Michael Suarez. He had asked to be sentenced again. The court explained that a special rule, called Comer, only applies to people who were under 18 years old when they committed a crime. Mr. Suarez was 19 years old when a murder and robbery happened in 1991. Because he was 19, he cannot use the Comer rule to get a new sentence. The court agreed with the choice to deny his request.

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Footnotes and Citation

Cite

No. A-0966-22 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. May 19, 2025)

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