By Jesse J. Holland
Associated Press
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court is considering another step toward differentiating between children and adults when it comes to prison sentences as it debates whether juveniles should be eligible for life sentences without parole for homicide-related crimes.
The court recently has moved toward not allowing juveniles to be sentenced to the worst adult punishments. In 2005, justices said juveniles cannot be sentenced to the death penalty. In 2010, the justices said they could not be sentenced to life in prison without parole for non-homicide crimes
The cases Tuesday involve Evan James Miller, who was 14 when he left a man to die in a burning trailer to steal his baseball card collection and $350. Kuntrell Jackson was 14 when he and his friends robbed and fatally shot a video store clerk.
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