Case Caption: Jalani Williams v. People of the Virgin IslandsCase Number: S. Ct. Crim. No. 2015-0006Date: 05/12/2016Author: Hodge, Rhys S. Citation: Summary:

The judgment and commitment sentencing the defendant to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole for first degree murder committed when he was a juvenile is affirmed. After issuance of the Court's prior decision in Williams v. People, 59 V.I. 1024, 1030 (V.I. 2013), affirming the convictions, the case was remanded for resentencing on the first-degree murder count in accordance with United States Supreme Court precedent. The Superior Court subsequently entered an amended judgment and commitment re-sentencing the defendant to life imprisonment with parole on his first-degree murder conviction. Issues the defendant should have raised in the prior appeal are waived, and are not considered in the current appeal. On the only issue properly presented here - whether defendant was properly sentenced to life with the possibility of parole - the Superior Court committed no error. After holding the required hearing and concluding that the constitutionally controlling factors did not warrant a sentence of life imprisonment without parole, it determined that the only remaining option was a sentence of life imprisonment with the possibility of parole. The judgment and commitment of December 23, 2014 is affirmed.

Attachment: Open Document or Opinion