Berrien County Prosecutor Art Cotter says there are some cases in the county that will be impacted by the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling that mandatory life sentences for juveniles are unconstitutional. First to mind for him is the case of Dakotah Eliason, who killed his grandfather in Niles at the age of 14.
Overall, there are a dozen cases in Berrien County that could be up for a new sentence. Cotter says four of those people were under the age of 17, while eight were 17. He says that age is considered an adult in Michigan courts, but the Supreme Court ruled 18 is the age for when a person should be considered an adult in court. Cotter says Destiny Coulson, currently facing trial for allegedly killing her 21-year-old boyfriend earlier this year when she was 16, won't be affected because she is charged with second-degree murder, which does not carry a mandatory sentence of life without parole upon conviction.
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Overall, there are a dozen cases in Berrien County that could be up for a new sentence. Cotter says four of those people were under the age of 17, while eight were 17. He says that age is considered an adult in Michigan courts, but the Supreme Court ruled 18 is the age for when a person should be considered an adult in court. Cotter says Destiny Coulson, currently facing trial for allegedly killing her 21-year-old boyfriend earlier this year when she was 16, won't be affected because she is charged with second-degree murder, which does not carry a mandatory sentence of life without parole upon conviction.
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