Supreme Court ban on life sentence for juveniles spurs inmate lawsuit
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A Philadelphia man imprisoned since 1973 wants to be released in the wake of a Supreme Court ban on juvenile life terms.
The Supreme Court ruling last week calls it unconstitutional to imprison a minor with no chance of parole.
Tyrone Jones' petition appears to be the first filed in the wake of the court's 5-4 decision. The 56-year-old has served nearly four decades since his arrest at age 16 in the North Philadelphia street slaying.
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Innocence Project lawyers also hope to overturn Jones' conviction. They say he was convicted based solely on his police statement -- and despite contrary ballistics evidence and witness descriptions.
The petition was filed Monday morning in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court.