De facto juvenile life sentence reversed in Fla

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - A Florida appellate court has reversed another de facto life sentence for a juvenile.

The 1st District Court of Appeal on Wednesday said the 60 years Demahgio Adams received for attempted first-degree murder, armed burglary and armed robbery amounted to a life sentence without chance for release because that's more than his remaining life expectancy.

Adams committed the crimes when he was 16 in Duval County.

The opinion is consistent with several similar cases decided by the 1st District but conflicts with a 5th District Court of Appeal ruling. The 1st District asked the Florida Supreme Court to resolve those differences.

Several such cases already are pending before the state justices. All stem from a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that sentencing juveniles to life for non-homicide crimes is unconstitutional.