Associated Press
CASPER, Wyo. — A new law ending mandatory life sentences for juveniles convicted of murder won’t affect eight people already serving time in prison for crimes committed when they were minors.
The law specifies that juveniles convicted of murder would be eligible for parole after serving 25 years in prison. Gov. Matt Mead signed the bill into law two weeks ago and it will go into effect July 1.
Deputy Attorney General Dave Delicath told the Casper Star-Tribune that it isn’t retroactive. The law will bring Wyoming into line with a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that prohibited mandatory life sentences for juvenile offenders.
That ruling led the Wyoming Supreme Court to overturn the life sentence for Wyatt Bear Cloud, who was convicted of killing Sheridan businessman Robert Ernst at 16.