U.S. Criminal Sentencing: 4 Of The Nation's Longest Sentences
In August 2015, James Holmes, the shooter in the Aurora, Colorado movie theater, was sentenced to 12 life terms and more than 3,000 years in prison. To some, this may seem extremely lenient since he didn't get the death penalty after killing and injuring so many people. To others, however, it may be seen as far too much since he'll never be able to serve that large amount of years. Regardless of your stance, there are actually three prison sentences that have been handed down to alleged criminals that are longer than his.
1. Charles Scott Robinson – 30,000 Years in Prison
Oklahoma child rapist Charles Scott Robinson holds the Guinness World Record for his prison sentence of multiple counts. He faced six counts and received 5,000 years of incarceration for each of them.
2. Allan Wayne McLaurin – 21,250 Years in Prison
This man was an accomplice in a variety of crimes, including kidnapping, robbery, larceny and rape. He was initially sentenced to more than 2,000 years, but he appealed that sentencing and ended up receiving the chance at a new trial. Unfortunately, in this trial, he was sentenced to more than 11,000 years. Instead of reducing his sentence, he had 6,300 years added to it.
3. Dudley Wayne Kyzer – 10,000+ Years in Prison
He was convicted of killing his mother-in-law, his wife and a college student. This happened in 1976 on Halloween night. He initially received the death penalty in 1981, but that sentence was overturned. He then ended up receiving 10,000 years for killing his wife, and two life sentences on top of that for the other two murders. He attempted parole in 2004, but he was denied.
It seems strange to send individuals to prison longer than they can even live, but it is actually pretty common. Some would say that the death penalty would be easier, but it all depends on the exact case, facts, evidence, mandatory sentencing laws, judges' discretion, jury verdicts and more. It is important to remember that every single criminal case is different. Each one has a different story, a different set of facts and a different set of evidence.
If you've been accused of a crime, get in touch with a criminal defense attorney at Bare Law Firm to schedule a consultation as soon as possible. At this meeting, make sure that you are honest with your lawyer so that he or she can help you to the best of his or her ability. Even if you can't get completely off the hook, lawyers are experienced negotiators and can often get a lesser charge or lighter sentence.