AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 18 (UPI) -- The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals says sentencing juvenile murderers to life with no parole doesn't violate a defendant's Constitutional rights.
In a 7-2 ruling, the court said some actions justify imposing the second-harshest penalty available in Texas, the Austin American-Statesman reported.
The court made its ruling in the case of Chris Joshua Meadoux, convicted of murdering two San Antonio friends when he was 16.
Texas law no longer allows the no-parole sentence for juvenile killers, but the change wasn't made retroactive.
Meadoux argued that his no-parole sentence violated the Constitution's ban on cruel and unusual punishment because juveniles lack maturity, judgment and an adult's sense of responsibility.
"Given the enormity of the crimes committed by juvenile capital offenders, the Legislature could reasonably conclude that such offenders are incorrigible, and that the only prudent course of action is to separate them from society forever," said the opinion, written by Judge Charles Holcomb.
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