State v. Tirado

Summary

The Supreme Court of North Carolina affirmed the Court of Appeals’ decision upholding defendant’s consecutive life-without-parole sentences. It held that the Court of Appeals did review defendant’s state constitutional challenge and was not required to conduct a separate analysis because North Carolina courts apply Article I, Section 27 in lockstep with the federal constitutional protections in this context. The Court also held that the resentencing order did not implicate the intervening precedent concerning juvenile offenders sentenced to consecutive life-with-parole terms.