Pivotal Parole Decision in Teen Girl’s Death

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The issue of whether juveniles should be sentenced to life without the possibility of parole is getting a look by the state Supreme Court, and the Legislature.

In 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that mandatory life without parole for juveniles was unconstitutional. But the nation's highest court didn't rule on whether it was retroactive.

It also left judges with no guidelines for how to sentence teens convicted of the most heinous crimes going forward.

While the state Supreme Court examines this issue for a past convict, two bills being introduced this session are working to address it in the future. One bill gets rid of life with no parole for teens altogether. The other gives judges the option, and outlines factors they should weigh before handing down that sentence.