Another 50-Year To Life Sentence Upheld

Another 50-year-to-life sentence has been upheld by the Court of Appeal. In People v. Uecker (here), the Court of Appeal upheld a sentence of fifty-years to life for a defendant convicted of stalking two women, because he had four strike priors. Most troubling is the court's dismissal of appellant's claim that the sentence was harsh compared to comparable sentences in other states. "Simply because California’s law might be among the harshest, it does not make it unconstitutional. Otherwise, California could never take the toughest stance against repeat offenders or any other type of criminal conduct." This reads this test for determining cruel or unusual punishment right out of the case law.