Commonwealth v. Jones, S.
Summary of the case Commonwealth v. Jones, S.
The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania granted the petition for allowance of appeal to determine if Steven Jones, Jr.'s sentence violates the prohibition against mandatory life sentences for juvenile offenders as established in Miller v. Alabama. The court vacated the Superior Court's order and remanded the case for further proceedings consistent with Montgomery v. Louisiana, which requires retroactive application of Miller.
Key Issues of the case Commonwealth v. Jones, S.
- Whether the sentence violates the prohibition against mandatory life sentences for juveniles
- Application of Miller v. Alabama retroactively
Key Facts of the case Commonwealth v. Jones, S.
- Petition for allowance of appeal was granted
- Superior Court's order was vacated
Decision of the case Commonwealth v. Jones, S.
The Superior Court’s order is VACATED, and the case is REMANDED for further proceedings consistent with Montgomery.
Impact of the case Commonwealth v. Jones, S.
The decision emphasizes the retroactive application of constitutional rights recognized by the Supreme Court, affecting juvenile sentencing.
Opinions
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA MIDDLE DISTRICT
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, : No. 947 MAL 2015 : Respondent : Petition for Allowance of Appeal from : the Unpublished Memorandum and : Order of the Superior Court at No. 777 v. : EDA 2015 exited November 13, 2015, : affirming the Order of the Delaware : County Court of Common Pleas at No. STEVEN JONES, JR., : CP-23-CR-0001881-2002 exited : February 18, 2015 Petitioner :
ORDER PER CURIAM DECIDED: February 12, 2016 AND NOW, this 12th day of February, 2016, the Petition for Allowance of Appeal
is GRANTED on the issue of whether Petitioner’s sentence violates the prohibition
against mandatory life sentences for juvenile offenders announced by the Supreme
Court of the United States in Miller v. Alabama, 567 U.S. ___, 132 S. Ct. 2455 (2012).
As a result of the recent holding by that Court that Miller must be applied retroactively
by the States, see Montgomery v. Louisiana, 2016 WL 280758 (U.S. Jan. 25, 2016), the
Superior Court’s order is VACATED, and the case is REMANDED for further
proceedings consistent with Montgomery.
To the extent necessary, leave is to be granted to amend the post-conviction
petition to assert the jurisdictional provision of the Post Conviction Relief Act extending
to the recognition of constitutional rights by the Supreme Court of the United States
which it deems to be retroactive. See 42 Pa.C.S. § 9545(b)(1)(iii).
Mr. Justice Eakin and Madame Justice Donohue did not participate in the
consideration or decision of this matter.