House Passes 'Second Chance' Bill For Teens Sentenced To Life
TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/NSF) – A bill that would give teens given life terms in prison a second chance for sentencing has passed in the Florida House.
The bill (HB 5), which passed 104-12, allows for juveniles sentenced to life or other long sentences to get a chance for a review for possible release after 25 years for any crime other than murder.
The measure was a reaction to a 2010 U.S. Supreme Court opinion, Graham v. Florida, and a subsequent state appeals court decision involving juvenile life sentences.
The Supreme Court first said juveniles can't be sentenced to life in prison for anything besides murder – that it's cruel and unusual punishment.
Then, a state appeals court said that some really long sentences, even if they're not really life sentences, could effectively be life sentences – because they'd be so long that a prisoner would likely die in prison.
A Senate version of the bill provides for a review at 15 years.
The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.
