Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/11pdf/10-9646.pdf
Page Number: 32

Cite as:  567 U. S. ____ (2012) 

1 

BREYER, J., concurring 

SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES 

_________________ 

Nos. 10–9646 and 10–9647 
_________________ 

10–9646 

EVAN MILLER, PETITIONER 
v. 
ALABAMA 

ON WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE COURT OF CRIMINAL
 
APPEALS OF ALABAMA
 

10–9647 

KUNTRELL JACKSON, PETITIONER 
v. 
RAY HOBBS, DIRECTOR, ARKANSAS 
DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION 

ON WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE SUPREME COURT
 
OF ARKANSAS
 

[June 25, 2012] 

JUSTICE BREYER, with whom JUSTICE SOTOMAYOR joins,

concurring. 

I join the Court’s opinion in full.  I add that, if the State 
continues  to  seek  a  sentence  of  life  without  the  possibil-
ity of parole for Kuntrell Jackson, there will have to be a 
determination  whether  Jackson  “kill[ed]  or  intend[ed]  to
kill” the robbery victim.  Graham v. Florida, 560 U. S. ___, 
___  (2010)  (slip  op.,  at  18).    In  my  view,  without  such  a 
finding, the Eighth Amendment as interpreted in Graham 
forbids  sentencing  Jackson  to  such  a  sentence,  regardless
of  whether  its  application  is  mandatory  or  discretionary 
under state law. 

In  Graham  we  said  that  “when  compared  to  an  adult 
murderer, a juvenile offender who did not kill or intend to 
kill has a twice diminished moral culpability.”  Ibid. (em-
phasis  added).  For  one  thing,  “compared  to  adults,  juve-
niles have a lack of maturity and an underdeveloped sense