Justices let stand youth's 30-year prison term

[Mugu]

By James Vicini, Reuters via Yahoo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court let stand on Monday a sentence of 30 years in prison for a youth who killed his grandparents when he was 12, rejecting his appeal arguing that it was cruel and unusual punishment.

Attorneys for Christopher Pittman said he is the nation's only inmate serving such a harsh sentence for a crime committed at such a young age. Pittman was tried as if he were an adult. The high court declined to hear his appeal without any comment.

In 2005 a jury convicted Pittman of the double murders committed four years earlier when he shot his grandparents with a shotgun as they slept in bed and then set fire to their home in Chester, South Carolina.

He received the minimum sentence of 30 years in prison, without the possibility of parole.

Complete article

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. That's horrible

Are we the only civilized country that treats kids like adult criminals?

[Fumesucker]

2. Who said we are civilized? n/t