Life-without-parole sentences upheld for young adults ages 18-25

The California Supreme Court today upheld life-in-prison sentences without the possibility for parole for young adults ages 18-25 in a 5-2 decision, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle.

The 2013 state law upheld today allows for life-without-parole sentences, often referred to as LWOP, for young adults ages 18 to 25 in cases involving “multiple murders or those committed during a rape or robbery or as a gang member.”

Justices Goodwin Liu and Kelli Evans filed dissenting opinions.

“The LWOP exclusion disproportionately impacts Black and Brown youth. It perpetuates racial disparities in LWOP sentences for youthful offenders,” wrote Justice Evans. “While perhaps unintentional, it nonetheless embodies racial bias that has plagued our criminal and juvenile justice systems since their inception.”