Bassett v. Arizona

Summary

Justice Sotomayor, joined by Justices Kagan and Jackson, dissents from the Supreme Court’s denial of certiorari in Bassett v. Arizona. She argues that Arizona’s mandatory life‑without‑parole sentencing scheme for juveniles violates the Eighth Amendment because it provides no discretionary alternative to consider youth and the possibility of rehabilitation. Accordingly, she would have granted certiorari and reversed the Arizona Supreme Court’s judgment.