Commonwealth of Massachusetts v. Brown

Brief of Juvenile Law Center, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, et al. as Amici Curiae on Behalf of Appellee (full list of amici in appendix to attached brief).

Brief filed: 08/16/2013

Documents

Commonwealth of Massachusetts v. Brown

Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts; Case No. SJC-11454

Prior Decision

On reservation and report by the single justice of the Commonwealth’s G.L.c. 211, § 3 petition, case below No. 09-00963 (Middlesex Superior Court, Kimberly S. Budd, J.)

Argument(s)

Massachusetts’s mandatory life without parole sentencing scheme for juveniles convicted of first degree murder is unconstitutional under the United States and Massachusetts Constitutions. Marquise Brown should be sentenced based on the most severe lesser included offense of manslaughter. Mandatory life with parole sentences contravene Miller  and Graham.

Author(s)

Marsha L. Levick, Emily C. Keller, Lauren A. Fine, Juvenile Law Center, Philadelphia, PA.