In what is considered a victory for juvenile offenders, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled underage convicts who kill, should have at least a chance at freedom. That could have an impact on some Scott County murder cases.
The two men in the case before the high court were convicted of killings when they were 14. On Monday, the justices decided that juveniles could not be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, because they might someday be rehabilitated. The 5-4 decision was in step with recent rulings against harsh criminal sentences.
Scott County Attorney Michael Walton says that although the cases before the U.S. Supreme Court involved 14 year olds, the decision applies to all juveniles under 18.
Walton says the ruling could impact at least three murder cases in Scott County. One involves Christine Lockheart. In 1985, she and her boyfriend, Rick Nebinger, were convicted of killing Floyd Leroy Brown during a robbery attempt. Lockheart had previously worked as a housekeeper for the elderly Mr. Brown. His hands and feet were bound and he was stabbed 13 times.
Another, according to Walton, is Romeo Hardin, who in 1996 was convicted in the murder of Augustus Nance. Hardin shot through a bedroom window striking Nance several times.
In 2004, three juveniles were sent to prison for the murder of Mark Wiilits. Michael Cargill, Trenton Howard, Christopher Langley got a ride from Willits then, beat, kicked and stabbed him and threw him into a creek where they held his head under water until he died. The motive, according to Walton, was to obtain Willit's vehicle to drive to Florida.
The high court ruled that a life sentence without parole for a juvenile is cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the 8th amendment.
According to the Equal Justice Initiative, there are about 2,500 prisoners serving life without parole for crimes committed as juveniles. The advocacy group says at least 79 of those prisoners were 14 years or younger at the time of their crime.
