As the struggle to challenge the inhumanity and unconstitutionality of Life Without Parole (LWOP) continues in the courts, we are inspired to see the Washington Supreme Court affirm last week that a life sentence with no potential release date is unconstitutional when applied to 18-to 20-year-olds because it denies discretion to consider the mitigating qualities of youth. As a coalition working to end LWOP sentencing altogether, we believe strongly that all people have the capacity—and the right—to grow, change, and transform themselves. Recognizing and nurturing this possibility makes all of our communities safer than the damaging impacts of perpetual punishment.
The Washington case was about two people who were resentenced and released in 2021 after spending decades in prison, sentenced to LWOP as youth. Prosecutors tried to reverse this decision and send them back to prison but were unsuccessful, instead prompting the court to confirm its original position.
“In 2021, we held in Monschke that the life without release mandate… is unconstitutional when applied to 18-to 20-year-old offenders because it denies discretion to consider the mitigating qualities of youth,” Washington Supreme Court Justice Montoya-Lewis explained.
“(Youth) is a moment and ‘condition of life when a person may be most susceptible to influence and psychological damage…’ as youth are malleable and have a heightened capacity to transform who they are and how they walk through life,” said Justice Montoya-Lewis, adding, “In this case, we are presented with two individuals who demonstrate that power of transformation.”
This latest ruling issued on May 23 could impact about 50 people in Washington sentenced to LWOP for crimes they committed between the ages of 18 and 20. Washington is among three states that have expanded upon the US Supreme Court ruling to restrict LWOP sentences for young adults.
We are hopeful that the fight to end LWOP and death-by-incarceration overall is growing across the country and world—in the courts, the legislature, the media, on the international stage, and most importantly through community organizing across the prison walls. Onward to freedom, healing, and justice for all.
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Read more here from our friends at the Davis Vanguard.
I agree. I have a brother that is currently incarnated and was sentenced when he was 18 years old, he is currently 50. He knows nothing about a cell phone, text, flat screen tv. Since then our Mother and Father along with others close family members have died. This would help us….Thank you !