Lakeland PBS
❤ Donate
  • Home
  • Support
  • Watch Now
    • Livestream
    • Local Shows
    • Watch Online
    • Schedule
    • Our Channels
    • Webcam
  • Lakeland News
    • News Feed
    • Featured Segments
    • Watch a News Story
    • Watch a Sports Story
  • Shop
  • About
    • Contact Us
    • State Legacy Funding
    • Meetings & Public Filings
    • Education
    • Employment
  • ❤ DONATE

Minnesota Inmates Who Killed As Teenagers Get Chance For Parole

Sarah Winkelmann — Aug. 3 2017
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota inmates who were sentenced to mandatory life without parole for murders they committed when they were teenagers are being resentenced to life with the possibility of release after 30 years.

The change comes after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last year that a ban on mandatory life without parole for juveniles should apply to those already serving such sentences. The ruling affected eight Minnesota inmates; seven were resentenced, and the eighth has his resentencing pending. It will be about nine years before the first offender is eligible to seek release.

The state is still wrestling with how to handle offenders who killed multiple victims as teenagers and are now serving more than one life sentence. The amount of years that must be served before parole varies greatly depending on whether multiple sentences are served consecutively or concurrently.

The state Supreme Court recently upheld three consecutive life sentences for Mahdi Hassan Ali, who killed three people in a Minneapolis market in 2010. He won’t be eligible to seek parole until he serves 90 years, which his attorneys say amounts to a life sentence. They argued that the three sentences should run together, so he’d be eligible for release after 30 years. His attorneys are seeking a U.S. Supreme Court review.

In its decision, the state’s highest court said the U.S. Supreme Court rulings don’t squarely address how multiple sentences should be handled, so absent further guidance it would not apply the federal rulings.

The final decision in the Ali case could affect two other offenders: Brian Lee Flowers, 25, and Stafon Thompson, 26, were 16 and 17 when they killed a mother and son in Minneapolis in 2008. Both were initially sentenced to mandatory life without parole.

Flowers was resentenced earlier this year to two concurrent sentences of life with the possibility of parole, meaning he can seek parole after 30 years. Prosecutors are appealing, arguing that Flowers’ sentences should be consecutive. His resentencing was carried out before the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled on the Ali case.

Flowers’ co-defendant, Thompson, has not been resentenced yet. The district court was awaiting a final ruling in the Ali case.

Read More: http://apne.ws/5SqUCV3

Lakeland News is member supported content. Please consider supporting Lakeland News today.

Donate Today
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)

By — Sarah Winkelmann

  • Program Schedule

Get the free PBS Video App

roku
Apple TV
FireTV
AndroidTV
Google Play Store
Apple Store

Connect with Us

Watch Lakeland PBS Live Stream!

Contact Us

Directions
Submit an Event
Submit a Video or Photo
Problem with the Website
Need to contact us about something else? Please visit our contact us page for more options.

About Us

Lakeland PBS understands the media that people are exposed to make a significant impact on their lives. Our hope is that the six channels we broadcast along with our online presence provide people with media experiences that make a positive impact on their lives.

Lakeland PBS is where you want to be!

108 Grant Ave NE, Bemidji, MN 56601 | 800-292-0922
KAWE Public Profile | KAWB Public Profile | Cable Provider Channel List | Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2022 Lakeland PBS. All Right Reserved.

How would you like to show your support?

Monthly Contribution

One-Time Contribution

Thank-You Gift

I would like to select a thank-you gift

No Gift

Put 100% of my gift towards programming