Maryland’s highest court reviewing teen sniper’s life term
National News
Maryland’s highest court has agreed to take up the case of Lee Boyd Malvo, who is serving life in prison for his role in the 2002 sniper spree that terrorized the Washington, D.C., region.
Malvo’s lawyers argue that his punishment goes against a 2012 Supreme Court ruling barring mandatory life sentences without parole for juvenile offenders and Malvo should benefit from Maryland’s new law enabling prisoners convicted as juveniles to seek release once they’ve served at least 20 years.
The state Court of Appeals granted a “bypass” review in Malvo’s case and that of two others serving life sentences for crimes committed as youths, news outlets report. The order issued Wednesday scheduled oral arguments to begin in January.
Malvo was 17 when he and John Allen Muhammad embarked on a killing spree that left 10 people dead and three wounded in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. Others were killed as the pair made their way to the D.C. region from Washington state. Muhammad was executed in 2009.
Malvo has claimed that the six life-without-parole terms he received in Maryland are illegal in light of U.S. Supreme Court decisions saying mandatory life-without-parole sentences are unconstitutional for juveniles except in rare cases.
His case may have new standing after Maryland’s General Assembly abolished life without parole for youths, overriding a veto by Gov. Larry Hogan. Virginia passed similar legislation last year. That change prompted Malvo to drop a legal appeal that had gone to the Supreme Court to determine if his life sentence should be rescinded.
Related listings
-
Idaho Supreme Court overturns tougher ballot initiative law
National News 08/24/2021The Idaho Supreme Court has rejected a new law designed to make it harder for voters to get initiatives on the ballot, saying the legislation was so restrictive that it violated a fundamental right under the state’s constitution. The ruling iss...
-
US moves to cut backlog of asylum cases at US-Mexico border
National News 08/20/2021The Biden administration on Wednesday proposed changing how asylum claims are handled, aiming to reduce a huge backlog of cases from the U.S.-Mexico border that has left people waiting years to find out whether they will be allowed to stay in America...
-
Holocaust researchers in Poland win libel case on appeal
National News 08/16/2021An appellate court in Poland on Monday rejected a lawsuit brought against two Holocaust scholars in a case that has been closely watched because it was expected to serve as a precedent for research into the highly sensitive area of Polish behavior to...
New Rochelle, New York Work Accidents Lawyers
It doesn’t matter what type of work you do or where you work, you can always be at risk of injuring yourself at your work no matter how safe you may think it is. Accidents in the workplace are often caused by unsafe work conditions arising from ignoring safety rules, overlooking maintenance or other negligence of those in management. Work accidents can cause serious injuries and sometimes permanent damage. Some extremely serious work injuries can permanently hinder a person’s ability to get around and continue their daily duties.
Factors that affect one’s quality of life like place of work, relationships with friends and family, social standing can all be taken away quickly by a work injury. Although, you may not be able to recover all of your losses, you may be entitled to compensation as a result of your work injury. In order to ensure that you and your loved ones receive the best outcome, make sure you have the help of an experienced New Rochelle, New York workplace injury lawyer you deserve. We can get you on your way to filing a claim against the responsible party. If you have been injured at your place of work it is important to know your options by seeking legal action. Kommer Bave & Ollman LLP offers a free case evaluation where we will answer any questions you may have and explain your legal options. Call us at 914-633-7400 or contact our firm to schedule a free consultation with an experienced attorney.