In a groundbreaking ruling on Monday, the Supreme Court ruled that
states may not impose mandatory life sentences without parole on
children, even if they have been convicted of taking part in a murder.
The justices ruled in a five-to-four decision that such harsh sentencing
for children violated the Eighth Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual
punishment. "[We’ve] been victims of the politics of fear and anger in
this country for 40 years [with] tremendous investment into excessive
sentences, mass incarceration," says juvenile defense attorney Bryan
Stevenson, who filed the landmark Supreme Court case. "Many of the
people who have been brought into that transformation have been kids."
We’re also joined by Azim Khamisa, whose 20-year-old son Tariq was
killed by a 14-year-old gang member, Tony Hicks, in 1995. Khamisa
co-signed an amicus brief on behalf of victim family members who oppose
life without parole for children. "The brain of a child is not formed at
the age of 14," Khamisa says. "So I think there is a lot of potential
in these young offenders, that if we create the right kind of an
environment ... these kids can come back into society, and not only come
back into society, but come back as contributing members." Video
Source: Democracy Now!
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