Montgomery v Louisiana (2016) 
Montgomery v Louisiana (2016) 
In 2016, the Supreme Court heard the case of Henry Montgomery, who was 17 years old in 1963 when 
killed a sheriff’s deputy. He initially received a death sentence, but this was overturned because of the 
racial tension of the time (Montgomery was black youth who killed a white law enforcement officer.) He 
instead received a life sentence and appealed this sentence after the Miller v. Alabama ruling. Montgomery v. 
Alabama barred mandatory life without parole sentences retroactively. This meant that all youth sentenced 
prior to 2012 with LWOP sentences needed to be retried. 
These four major Supreme Court cases identify the differences between adults and juveniles. They recognize 
the difference in brain formation and culpability, owning the ability for rehabilitation of youth and moving 
step by step away from a retribution/punishment model for youth. 
Introduction to the American Criminal Justice System
409