Plaintiff: Ronald Harmelin
 Represented by Carla Johnson

Defendant: Michigan
 Represented by Richard Thompson


1978 Lifer Law

Designed for “kingpins”

“Harshest” drug law in nation

Ronald Harmelin
found with 672 g of
cocaine

Also found with
beeper, coded
addresses

Sentenced to
mandatory life term

No possibility of
parole, regardless of
circumstances
Harmelin believed thahis sentence was
unconstiutional because his sentence
was
 A) mandatory with regard for individual
circumstances
 B)


Appealed to the 45th Michigan District
Court

Ruled that arrest was unconstitutional

Sentence repealed

Reviewed case and decided that arrest
corresponded to constitution

Reinstated sentence

Rebuffed argument that sentence
unconstitutional under 8th amend.

In 1989 Supreme Court denied appeal

Granted a Writ of Certiorari in 1990

Case was heard on November 5, 1990
"Amendment VIII - Excessive Fines, Cruel and Unusual
Punishment." National Constitution Center –
Constitutioncenter.org. Accessed November 22, 2014.
http://constitutioncenter.org/constitution/theamendments/amendment-8-cruel-and-unusual-punishment.
 Campbell, Linda. "Life-without-parole Terms Ruled Legal."
Chicago Tribune. June 28, 1991. Accessed November 22, 2014.
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1991-0628/news/9102260957_1_life-sentence-ronald-harmelin-sentencesfor-drug-crimes.
 Epstein, Aaron. "Justices Raise Pointed Questions on Life
Sentence for Drug Offender." Philly.com. November 6, 1990.
Accessed November 22, 2014. http://articles.philly.com/1990-1106/news/25927565_1_life-term-sentences-ronald-harmelin.




"HARMELIN v. MICHIGAN." Oyez. Accessed November
22, 2014. http://www.oyez.org/cases/19901999/1990/1990_89_7272.
"Harmelin v. Michigan, 501 U.S. 957 (1991)." Cornell
Legal Information Institute. November 5, 1990.
Accessed November 26, 2014.
http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/897272.ZS.html.
"HARMELIN v. MICHIGAN, 501 U.S. 957 (1991)."
FindLaw | Cases and Codes. Accessed November
21, 2014. http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com



“Harmelin v. Michigan | Casebriefs." Casebriefs.
Accessed November 21, 2014.
http://www.casebriefs.com
"Harmelin." Accessed November 22, 2014.
http://www2.onu.edu/~s-veltri/Hamer.html.
Rooker, John. "Crime and Punishment: The Eighth
Amendment's Proportionality Guarantee Mter
Harmelin v. Michigan." Digital Commons. Accessed
November 21, 2014.
http://digitalcommons.law.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.
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urce=web&cd=7&cad=rja&uact=8&ve.