In re Palmer

In 1988, at age 17, Palmer pled guilty to kidnapping for robbery and was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole. He became eligible for parole in 1996 and, over the next 19 years, had 10 parole suitability hearings at which parole was denied. While challenging the denial of parole at a 2015 hearing Palmer also sought habeas corpus relief, citing the Eighth Amendment. On December 6, 2018, the Board held a new parole suitability hearing, as ordered by the reviewing court, and found Palmer suitable for release on parole. The court of appeal concluded that the serial denials of parole Palmer experienced resulted in punishment so disproportionate to his individual culpability for the offense he committed, that it must be deemed constitutionally excessive and that Palmer is entitled to release from all forms of custody, including parole supervision. The court noted that such challenges based on the length of prison time already served are rare. View "In re Palmer" on Justia Law