The statute before the court
Minnesota’s sentence-adjustment law allows a prosecutor to ask a court to reduce an already imposed sentence, so long as the request would not increase the person’s confinement or supervision. Hennepin County prosecutor Andrew Markquart has invoked that law on behalf of Kemen Taylor II, who is serving life in prison for his role in the 2011 killing of 13-year-old Ray’jon Gomez and the attempted killings of two other teenagers. The law is set out in Minnesota Statutes Section 609.133: Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes.
Judge Shereen Askalani is considering whether the sentence should become 26 years, a change that could make Taylor eligible for release to probation in 2030. The Minnesota Star Tribune reported that Askalani took the request under advisement and was expected to rule by early December: The Minnesota Star Tribune.
Under the statute, the court must decide whether substantial and compelling reasons support an adjustment. It must consider public safety, rehabilitation, the seriousness of the offense, possible sentencing disparities and the statements or interests of victims. The law also gives victims notice and the opportunity to object and address the court: Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes.
The county’s argument
Taylor was 25 when he drove the van used in the shooting; he was convicted in 2014 of first-degree murder and eight other felonies but was not the person who fired the gun. Trial testimony indicated that the attack followed the shooting of Taylor’s younger brother and that Gomez was not the intended target, according to KROC-AM News…