Missouri Senate OKs prison options for children convicted of murder

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Minors convicted of first-degree murder could receive a less-severe punishment than the current requirement of life in prison under legislation advanced Wednesday in the Missouri Senate.

The bill aims to address flaws with the state's sentencing requirements for minors found guilty of the crime, which the state Supreme Court has ruled unconstitutional.

First-degree murder defendants 11 and younger must be tried in juvenile court, but minors between 12 and 17 are currently eligible to be tried as adults. If they're convicted of the crime in adult court, they would be sentenced to life in prison without parole. Only adults 18 and older can face the death penalty in Missouri.

But the U.S. Supreme Court in 2012 ruled mandatory life sentences for minors are unconstitutional. That's left Missouri with no valid laws guiding punishments for youths convicted of murder, said Sen. Bob Dixon, R-Springfield, the bill's sponsor.

Dixon's proposed solution would give jurors the option of sentencing 16- to 18-year-olds to between 50 years in prison without parole or life without parole. Those younger than 16 would face at least 35 years.

No senators spoke against the bill during floor debate Wednesday, but opponents have criticized a 50-year sentence as almost guaranteeing life behind bars for some youths.

A bill sponsored by Minority Leader Sen. Joe Keaveny that would give options for even lighter sentences -- 14 to 30 for those between 16 and 17 and 12 to 30 for those younger than 16 at the time of the crime -- has not yet come to a vote in committee.

Missouri isn't the only state crafting new guidelines for minors convicted of first-degree murder following the Supreme Court ruling. California Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill allowing judges to reduce sentences to 25 years to life if an inmate shows remorse and is working toward rehabilitation. In Iowa, Republican Gov. Terry Branstad commuted all juvenile life sentences to 60 years.

A second full vote is needed on Dixon's bill before it can move to the House for debate.