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State v. Bright
The Florida Supreme Court ordered a new penalty phase. Counsel failed to present evidence of the defendant's childhood trauma, PTSD, abuse, and mental illness, which is crucial for assessing moral culpability.
State v. Mahmoud
Maine’s high court ruled that juries can be instructed on factors impacting eyewitness identification reliability, such as cross-racial identification and stress, based on scientific research.
State v. Dickson
The court ruled that first-time in-court eyewitness identifications need prescreening by a judge, especially if there was no prior successful identification. However, this specific error was deemed harmless.
Young v. State
The Alaska Supreme Court found the prior legal test for eyewitness identification unreliable. It adopted a new standard based on modern scientific understanding of memory to better protect due process rights.
Massey v. Commonwealth
The court ruled the victim's testimony was admissible. Expert evidence showed trauma can fragment memories, explaining delayed recall of sexual assault events.
Adolescent Impatience Decreases with Increased Frontostriatal Connectivity
Adolescence is a period of increased impulsivity, which is essential for developing adult skills but also linked to risky behaviors.
Age Differences in the Impact of Peers on Adolescents' and Adults' Neural Response to Reward
Adolescents take more risks when peers are present, even without direct peer pressure. Research suggests this peer effect in adolescents is linked to heightened reward sensitivity, impacting how their brains process rewards.
Beyond Simple Models of Self-control to Circuit-based Accounts of Adolescent Behavior
The teen brain isn't "defective" but is shaped by biology and experiences during adolescence. This period sees high sensation-seeking and increased mental health issues, driven by complex developmental changes.
Pollard v. Drummond
The court found that firing a coal miner for prescribed methadone use, without assessing his individual risk, might be disability discrimination. This raised questions about whether he posed a direct threat.
State v. O’Dell
The Washington Supreme Court affirmed a child rape conviction but ruled trial courts can consider a defendant's youth as a mitigating factor in sentencing.
Horsley v. State
The Florida Supreme Court found a juvenile's mandatory life without parole sentence unconstitutional. The case was returned for resentencing consistent with juvenile sentencing laws.
State v. Seats
The Iowa Supreme Court sent the case of a 17-year-old convicted of murder and sentenced to life without parole back for resentencing. This decision followed U.S. and Iowa Supreme Court rulings on cruel and unusual punishment.
State v. Riley
The Connecticut Supreme Court ruled a 100-year sentence for a juvenile was unconstitutional. The court mandated considering age and rehabilitation potential in discretionary sentencing for minors.
Casiano v. Comm’r of Corr.
The Connecticut Supreme Court ruled that Miller v. Alabama, which bars mandatory juvenile life without parole, applies retroactively. This means juveniles sentenced before Miller could have their life sentences reviewed.
State v. Houston
The Utah Supreme Court upheld juvenile life without parole sentences, finding they do not violate the Eighth Amendment. The court acknowledged potential for rehabilitation but noted severe crimes and individual circumstances.