RICO Benton v. Wendy Kelley

Summary

The court affirmed the denial and dismissal of Rico Benton's habeas petition challenging his life-without-parole sentence for a capital-murder offense committed when he was twenty-one. It held that the constitutional limitations applicable to juvenile offenders do not extend to adult offenders over eighteen and that Benton therefore failed to show an invalid judgment, lack of jurisdiction, or probable cause for habeas relief. Because he failed to establish probable cause, he was not entitled to an evidentiary hearing.