One of the top news stories from the early 2000s in New York and across the nation was the D.C. sniper case. The series of sniper shootings took place along busy roadways and claimed 10 lives. One of the two suspects, Lee Malvo, was a minor. He was convicted of the crimes and received a life sentence without parole. His case is going back to court over concerns that because he was a minor at the time, the sentences he received are too harsh based on current sentence guidelines.
He saw convictions and sentences in multiple states due to the crimes occurring in multiple areas. There is also still a chance he will face further charges in other states as new criminal activity has come to light and been linked with him. This is important as further convictions could impact his attempts at seeing a reduction in current sentences.
The basis for this return to court is Supreme Court rulings against harsh punishments for juveniles. This case occurred before the Supreme Court made these rulings, which may have an impact on this case. Attorneys for Mr. Malvo hope to see the Supreme Court allow new sentencing in his cases.
While it is not likely the Court will change his sentences due to the extreme nature of the crimes, there is hope that this case may have an impact on the sentencing of juveniles in the future. If your child faces a criminal charge, it might be helpful to speak with an attorney to talk about sentencing possibilities.