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Canada body-parts murder victim identified
AUSTIN, Texas, March 1 (UPI) -- Texas Gov. Rick Perry said Tuesday the pardons and paroles board will review the cases of 28 convicts who were sentenced to death as teenage killers.
Perry said the board would recommend "appropriate action" after reviewing the cases. The governor has no authority to commute a sentence without board action.
The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 Tuesday that states can no longer execute murderers who were 17 or younger at the time of their crimes. Thirteen juvenile killers have been executed in Texas since 1973.
"Since the U.S. Supreme Court announced in recent months that it would reconsider its previous policy of allowing the execution of juveniles, Texas has not executed anyone who was under 18 when they committed their crime," Perry said.
Perry said the ruling gives "further guidance" to the states on the imposition of the death penalty. He said several bills are pending in the Legislature that would bar execution of those under 18. He said he would sign a bill that was passed in line with the findings of the court.
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