The US Supreme Court has agreed to hear two consolidated appeals that could clarify the applicability of the First Step Act, a federal law that reduces mandatory minimum sentences, to individuals being re-sentenced for gun-related violent crimes. The central question is whether prisoners can benefit from the Act even if it was passed after their initial sentencing.
The legal backdrop of this issue comes from the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, which ruled against the prisoners. Their original sentences for bank robbery were vacated, and they argue that the First Step Act should now apply to their re-sentencing. However, the Fifth Circuit concluded that the Act does not retroactively cover offenses committed before its enactment.
The Supreme Court’s decision to review these cases could have broad implications for the scope of the First Step Act and its impact on mandatory minimum sentences, potentially affecting many inmates who were sentenced before the Act’s passage.
For additional details, visit Bloomberg Law.