High Court Ruling On Juvenile Lifers Hasn't Impacted Indiana

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Many states are taking a new look at juvenile life without parole following a U.S. Supreme Court decision last year, but that ruling appears to have little impact in Indiana.

Indiana law allows a judge to sentence those over the age of 16 to life without parole for a murder conviction. However, Larry Landis, of the Indiana Public Defenders Council, says he can't think of instance where such a sentence was imposed. And state officials say no one is serving a life-without-parole sentence for crimes committed as a juvenile.

The court in 2012 barred states from imposing mandatory life without parole on minors convicted of murder. In 2016 the court made the decision retroactive, saying most offenders already serving such sentences should get a chance to argue for release.