Among the biggest decisions handed down by the U.S. Supreme Court this year was Blakely v. Washington, which said that a judge can’t increase a sentence beyond its normal maximum based on facts judge alone determines. The N.C. Court of Appeals ruled ruled today that North Carolina’s sentencing system has the same problem as Washington’s — a judge can sentence someone to a longer sentence in the “aggravated range” based on such facts. Expect to hear more about this as convicts serving such aggravated sentences move to have them shortened.
by Locker Room contributor