WASHINGTON 鈥� Lee Boyd Malvo was half of a deadly sniper duo that terrified the D.C. region in October 2002.聽
Now, a federal judge in Norfolk, Virginia, in the Commonwealth will be reconsidered based on the U.S. Supreme Court decision that mandatory life sentences for juveniles are unconstitutional. Malvo is currently serving time in Virginia for his role in the sniper shootings that left 10 dead and three wounded.
George Washington Law professor Jonathan Turley says two cases paved the way for Friday鈥檚 ruling in Virginia.
鈥淚n many ways, this was an inevitable decision. First, in 2012, the said that you cannot impose mandatory life without parole on juveniles,” said Turley. It did not, at that time, say whether that type of ruling should be applied retroactively to someone like Malvo, who was sentenced before the decision came down.
“The court then, in 2016, handed down the decision in and in that decision, they said, you bet, you should apply this retroactively. That led to the appeal that ultimately led to the decision in Malvo. And what the court said there, is that this was a mandatory sentence of life without parole. Malvo was a minor at the time, and therefore resentencing will have to occur.鈥�
But it doesn鈥檛 mean he鈥檒l go free.
鈥淭o the contrary,鈥� Turley said. 鈥�(Malvo) entered guilty pleas in multiple cases in both Virginia and Maryland. The resentencing is likely to still impose a very hefty, even a life sentence, on Malvo.鈥�
Malvo鈥檚 lawyers argue their client鈥檚 six life sentences in Montgomery County, Maryland,聽
The snipers also struck in Prince George鈥檚 County, Maryland, wounding a 13-year-old boy outside a middle school in Bowie.
鈥淚 know it鈥檚 a heavy impact, especially for the families of the victims,鈥� said Glen Ivey, who was Prince George鈥檚 County State鈥檚 Attorney during these cases. He鈥檚 now a partner with the Leftwich Law Firm in D.C.
鈥淚t was devastating to the families at the time, so I know this is a difficult time for them,鈥� Ivey told 蜜桃视频app after Friday鈥檚 ruling in Virginia. 鈥淚t was such a high-profile case 鈥� This touched everyone in the region. I don’t know what the new sentences are going to be, but I know everyone’s going to be watching it closely.鈥�
