United States Ninth Circuit

Sentences of 25 years to life for defendants' petty theft offenses violate the Eighth Amendment's prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment, and the sentences represent an unconstitutional application of California's Three Strikes Law.

Appellate Information

• Argued 12/12/2001
• Decided 02/07/2002
• Published 02/07/2002

Judges

• BERZON, Circuit Judge., Before: REINHARDT, TASHIMA and BERZON, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Ninth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Erwin Chemerinsky, Los Angeles, CA, for the appellants.


• For Appellees:
  
• Brian R. Means and Stephanie A. Miyoshi, State of California Department of Justice, for the appellees.