No break for mentally ill in mandatory sentences, court says
Go Deeper.
Create an account or log in to save stories.
Like this?
Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.
Being mentally ill will not get you a break under the mandatory five-year prison term for illegally possessing a firearm, the Minnesota Court of Appeals ruled today.
It decided the case of Lamont Terell Mayl, who was arrested in March 2012 while running down Franklin Avenue in Minneapolis with a BB gun and a stun gun. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years in prison.
At a pre-sentencing hearing, "his probation officer, case manager, psychiatrist, and psychiatric nurse all testified that since his arrest, (Mayl's) conditional release program — which required participation in a mental health program ... and monthly medication injections — had been successful and that he would not pose a risk to public safety if given a probationary sentence that imposed requirements similar to his conditional release." Mayl had an 18 year history of schizophrenia.
His attorney argued for a lighter sentence -- probation -- because the law allows judges to depart from sentencing guidelines. But today the Court of Appeals said the mandatory sentence cannot be ignored, even if a person is mentally ill.
Turn Up Your Support
MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all.
