Derrick Lynell Harris v. State of Arkansas

Summary

The court held that the Fair Sentencing of Minors Act did not apply to Harris because its retroactive parole-eligibility provision covered only juveniles serving a sentence, while Harris's sentence had already been vacated, and the Act's penalty provisions were not retroactive. Harris was therefore entitled to a Miller resentencing hearing and sentencing within the discretionary Class Y felony range of ten to forty years or life. Justice Wynne, concurring, agreed with the disposition on fundamental-fairness grounds but believed the FSMA applied, while Justice Womack, dissenting, would have applied the FSMA and imposed life with parole eligibility after thirty years.