Supreme_JJ Court_NN1 Weighs_VVZ Juvenile_JJ Life_NN1 Sentences_NN2 Should_VM juvenile_JJ offenders_NN2 face_VV0 life_NN1 behind_II bars_NN2 ?_? 
Nationwide_RL ,_, there_EX are_VBR more_DAR than_CSN 2,200_MC juveniles_NN2 serving_VVG sentences_NN2 of_IO life_NN1 without_IW parole_NN1 ._. 
That_DD1 figure_NN1 includes_VVZ dozens_NNO2 of_IO children_NN2 as_RG young_JJ as_CSA 13_MC years_NNT2 old_JJ ._. 
Four_MC years_NNT2 ago_RA ,_, the_AT Supreme_JJ Court_NN1 ruled_VVN in_II a_AT1 5-to-4_MC decision_NN1 that_CST executing_VVG anyone_PN1 for_IF a_AT1 crime_NN1 committed_VVN when_CS he_PPHS1 or_CC she_PPHS1 was_VBDZ younger_JJR than_CSN 18_MC is_VBZ unconstitutional_JJ ._. 
On_II Monday_NPD1 ,_, lawyers_NN2 arguing_VVG on_II31 behalf_II32 of_II33 two_MC Florida_NP1 prisoners_NN2 tried_VVD to_TO convince_VVI the_AT court_NN1 that_CST the_AT rationale_NN1 behind_II the_AT death_NN1 penalty_NN1 decision_NN1 also_RR should_VM extend_VVI to_II life_NN1 sentences_NN2 because_CS they_PPHS2 are_VBR equivalent_JJ to_II executions_NN2 behind_II bars_NN2 ._. 
The_AT court_NN1 's_GE death_NN1 penalty_NN1 ruling_NN1 was_VBDZ based_VVN on_II two_MC key_JJ principles_NN2 :_: Minors_NN2 are_VBR not_XX as_RG culpable_JJ for_IF their_APPGE crimes_NN2 as_CSA adults_NN2 are_VBR ,_, and_CC it_PPH1 is_VBZ possible_JJ for_IF youths_NN2 to_TO reform_VVI ._. 
The_AT court_NN1 held_VVD that_CST their_APPGE execution_NN1 would_VM therefore_RR be_VBI "_" cruel_JJ and_CC unusual_JJ punishment_NN1 ,_, "_" which_DDQ is_VBZ banned_VVN by_II the_AT Eighth_MD Amendment_NN1 ._. 
The_AT same_DA logic_NN1 should_VM be_VBI applied_VVN for_IF Joe_NP1 Sullivan_NP1 and_CC ,_, in_II a_AT1 separate_JJ case_NN1 ,_, Terrance_NP1 Graham_NP1 ,_, lawyers_NN2 contended_VVD ._. 
At_II the_AT age_NN1 of_IO 16_MC ,_, Graham_NP1 and_CC an_AT1 accomplice_NN1 robbed_VVD a_AT1 restaurant_NN1 ,_, a_AT1 crime_NN1 for_IF which_DDQ he_PPHS1 served_VVD a_AT1 year_NNT1 behind_II bars_NN2 ._. 
In_II 2004_MC ,_, at_II age_NN1 17_MC ,_, he_PPHS1 was_VBDZ sentenced_VVN to_II life_NN1 without_IW parole_NN1 after_CS he_PPHS1 violated_VVD the_AT terms_NN2 of_IO his_APPGE probation_NN1 by_II committing_VVG another_DD1 robbery_NN1 ,_, this_DD1 time_NNT1 with_IW a_AT1 gun_NN1 ._. 
Joe_NP1 Sullivan_NP1 ,_, meanwhile_RR ,_, was_VBDZ convicted_VVN of_IO sexual_JJ battery_NN1 against_II a_AT1 72-year-old_JJ womanafter_NN1 committing_VVG a_AT1 burglary_NN1 when_CS he_PPHS1 was_VBDZ 13_MC years_NNT2 old_JJ ._. 
In_II the_AT two_MC years_NNT2 before_CS this_DD1 conviction_NN1 ,_, Sullivan_NP1 ,_, who_PNQS is_VBZ mentally_RR disabled_JJ ,_, had_VHD been_VBN found_VVN guilty_JJ of_IO 17_MC criminal_JJ offenses_NN2 ,_, including_II several_DA2 serious_JJ felonies_NN2 ._. 
The_AT sexual_JJ battery_NN1 conviction_NN1 was_VBDZ based_VVN on_II the_AT testimony_NN1 of_IO two_MC of_IO his_APPGE older_JJR codefendants_NN2 ,_, who_PNQS then_RT received_VVD lighter_JJR sentences_NN2 ._. 
At_II the_AT trial_NN1 ,_, which_DDQ ended_VVD with_IW a_AT1 life_NN1 sentence_NN1 ,_, Sullivan_NP1 was_VBDZ represented_VVN by_II an_AT1 attorney_NN1 who_PNQS has_VHZ since_RR been_VBN suspended_VVN from_II practicing_VVG law_NN1 ._. 
Legal_JJ experts_NN2 say_VV0 these_DD2 two_MC examples_NN2 of_IO life_NN1 sentences_NN2 for_IF juveniles_NN2 are_VBR particularly_RR noteworthy_JJ ._. 
"_" What_DDQ separates_VVZ these_DD2 cases_NN2 from_II cases_NN2 of_IO life_NN1 sentences_NN2 for_IF &lsqb;_( other_JJ &rsqb;_) children_NN2 is_VBZ that_CST they_PPHS2 received_VVD the_AT sentences_NN2 for_IF crimes_NN2 short_JJ of_IO homicide_NN1 ,_, "_" says_VVZ Elizabeth_NP1 Scott_NP1 ,_, a_AT1 professor_NN1 at_II Columbia_NP1 University_NN1 Law_NN1 School_NN1 ._. 
Supporters_NN2 of_IO such_DA sentences_NN2 say_VV0 those_DD2 who_PNQS commit_VV0 crimes_NN2 should_VM face_VVI the_AT full_JJ penalty_NN1 ,_, regardless_RR of_IO their_APPGE age_NN1 ._. 
"_" Outside_II21 of_II22 capital_NN1 punishment_NN1 ,_, this_DD1 court_NN1 has_VHZ never_RR exempted_VVN a_AT1 whole_JJ class_NN1 of_IO offenders_NN2 from_II a_AT1 particular_JJ category_NN1 of_IO punishment_NN1 on_II the_AT ground_NN1 that_CST it_PPH1 would_VM be_VBI cruel_JJ and_CC unusual_JJ ,_, "_" the_AT National_JJ District_NN1 Attorneys_NN2 Association_NN1 said_VVD in_II an_AT1 amicus_NN1 brief_NN1 ._. 
The_AT arguments_NN2 also_RR could_VM touch_VVI on_II one_MC1 of_IO the_AT most_RGT politicized_JJ aspects_NN2 of_IO constitutional_JJ law_NN1 --_NN1 the_AT applicability_NN1 of_IO foreign_JJ precedent_NN1 ._. 
A_AT1 critical_JJ component_NN1 of_IO the_AT Eighth_MD Amendment_NN1 relies_VVZ on_II the_AT "_" evolving_JJ standards_NN2 of_IO decency_NN1 "_" in_II a_AT1 mature_JJ society_NN1 ._. 
In_II the_AT death_NN1 penalty_NN1 case_NN1 ,_, the_AT court_NN1 used_VVD this_DD1 criterion_NN1 in_RR21 part_RR22 to_TO reverse_VVI earlier_JJR precedent_NN1 ._. 
At_RR21 least_RR22 135_MC countries_NN2 have_VH0 expressly_RR rejected_VVN life_NN1 sentences_NN2 for_IF juveniles_NN2 ,_, according_II21 to_II22 Amnesty_NN1 International_JJ ._. 
And_CC though_CS 10_MC foreign_JJ nations_NN2 do_VD0 allow_VVI such_DA sentences_NN2 in_II theory_NN1 ,_, no_AT children_NN2 are_VBR currently_RR serving_VVG them_PPHO2 ._. 
A_AT1 United_JJ Nations_NN2 treaty_NN1 that_CST forbids_VVZ the_AT imprisonment_NN1 of_IO children_NN2 without_IW parole_NN1 has_VHZ been_VBN signed_VVN by_II all_DB countries_NN2 except_II the_AT United_NP1 States_NP1 and_CC Somalia_NP1 ._. 
During_II the_AT confirmation_NN1 hearings_NN2 for_IF Justice_NP1 Sonia_NP1 Sotomayor_NP1 ,_, conservative_JJ senators_NN2 pressed_VVD particularly_RR hard_RR on_II the_AT question_NN1 of_IO whether_CSW judges_NN2 can_VM consider_VVI foreign_JJ jurisprudence_NN1 ._. 
While_CS foreign_JJ law_NN1 could_VM be_VBI used_VVN in_II considering_VVG rulings_NN2 ,_, she_PPHS1 said_VVD ,_, it_PPH1 could_VM not_XX be_VBI used_VVN "_" as_II a_AT1 holding_NN1 or_CC a_AT1 precedent_NN1 ._. "_" 
Oklahoma_NP1 Republican_NP1 Sen._NNA Tom_NP1 Coburn_NP1 disagreed_VVD ,_, saying_VVG ,_, "_" I_PPIS1 'm_VBM not_XX sure_JJ I_PPIS1 agree_VV0 with_IW that_DD1 on_II certain_JJ Eighth_MD Amendment_NN1 and_CC 14th_MD Amendment_NN1 cases_NN2 ._. "_" 
The_AT conservative_JJ Heritage_NN1 Foundation_NN1 echoes_VVZ his_APPGE concerns_NN2 with_II31 regard_II32 to_II33 these_DD2 Florida_NP1 cases_VVZ the_AT court_NN1 will_VM consider_VVI ,_, contending_VVG that_CST the_AT application_NN1 of_IO "_" foreign_JJ sources_NN2 of_IO law_NN1 to_TO determine_VVI domestic_JJ law_NN1 ,_, in_II31 addition_II32 to_II33 being_VBG legally_RR problematic_JJ ,_, too_RG often_RR overlooks_VVZ the_AT qualitative_JJ differences_NN2 between_II the_AT United_NP1 States_NP1 and_CC other_JJ countries_NN2 ._. "_" 
