Opinion ID: 6108654
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Proceedings in Harris's Case

Text: Having summarized the relevant juvenile-sentencing law, we turn to the proceedings in Harris's case. As previously noted, following the issuance of a writ of habeas corpus, the Jefferson County Circuit Court vacated Harris's life-without-parole sentence and remanded the case to the Drew County Circuit Court for resentencing. The resentencing hearing was set for May 2017. On March 22, 2017, two days after the FSMA was passed, the State filed a Motion to Discontinue Resentencing. The State argued that the FSMA retroactively established parole eligibility for Harris and other similarly situated minors sentenced to life imprisonment without parole for capital murder. The State further argued that, because Harris's parole eligibility would be calculated by the FSMA, the issue of resentencing was moot. Finally, the State contended that the prior order vacating Harris's original sentence should be withdrawn. Harris filed a response to the State's motion and argued that he was entitled to a resentencing hearing under this court's precedent in Jackson and Gordon because he was similarly situated to the defendants in those cases. He contended that the retroactive parole-eligibility provision of the FSMA was inapplicable to him because his life sentence had been vacated and he currently had no sentence of imprisonment to which parole eligibility could attach. Harris further contended that the substantive  penalty provision of the FSMA for juvenile offenders convicted of capital murder-life imprisonment with parole eligibility after thirty years-was not retroactive and thus did not apply to him. On May 3, 2017, the State filed a motion for determination of the sentencing range. The motion noted that Harris objected to the retroactivity of the FSMA and stated that if the Act was not retroactive, then Harris should be sentenced in accordance with this court's decision in Jackson , which provided a range of ten to forty years' imprisonment or life. Harris then filed a motion for resentencing under Jackson and Gordon and asserted that the circuit court should grant him a resentencing hearing to present Miller evidence, then resentence him within the discretionary range of ten to forty years or life. He further asserted that applying the current punishment under the FSMA would violate Jackson and Gordon , the purpose of the FSMA, and a host of federal and state constitutional provisions. 7 The circuit court held a hearing on May 8, 2017. The State argued that, pursuant to the FSMA, Harris should be sentenced to life with the possibility of parole after thirty years. Harris reiterated his argument that he was entitled to resentencing pursuant to this court's decision in Jackson . He maintained that the parole-eligibility provision of the FSMA was inapplicable to him because his sentence had been vacated and that the penalty provision of the FSMA was inapplicable to him because it was not retroactive. The circuit court ruled that the FSMA applied to Harris and sentenced him to a term of life with the possibility of parole after thirty years. A new sentencing order was entered, and Harris timely filed a notice of appeal.