This week we joined the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, Inc. and National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers in filing an amicus brief before the U.S. Supreme Court in support of petitioners Graham and Sullivan, arguing that individuals younger than age 18 at the time of the offense for which they were convicted should not be subject to life without parole sentences, as such sentences violate the Eighth Amendment. In particular, we argue the unique characteristics of youth can critically undermine defense counsel’s ability to effectively assist their teenaged clients, and the compromised attorney-client relationship contributes to an increased likelihood of unreliable sentencing outcomes that fail to reflect culpability and guilt.
Read our brief:
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