State v. Moore
In 1995, Sammy Moore was sentenced to life in prison and required to serve a combined minimum of 50 years before becoming eligible for parole for offenses committed when he was only 19 years old. Sammy was sentenced at a time when the public consciousness-fueled by the media-was inundated with racist rhetoric and false warnings of a dangerous class of young criminals referred to as “superpredators.” The superpredator rhetoric infiltrated the criminal legal system in New Jersey, leading to lengthy and harsh treatment of youth, like Sammy. While the alleged “superpredators” never materialized, and the theory was exposed as a myth, it had a lasting impact.
Sammy petitioned the court to correct an illegal sentence that was heavily influenced by the false superpredator narrative, imposed in violation of his rights to due process, equal protection, and fundamental fairness. Juvenile Law Center and Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law filed an amicus brief in the New Jersey Superior Court in support of Mr. Moore. Our brief explained that the superpredator theory arose from a long history of dehumanizing Black people and the deeply entrenched stereotype that Black people are predisposed to violent criminality. We emphasized that although the superpredator myth was false, it had a lasting impact on legislation across the country. We further emphasized that life without parole sentences are disproportionately imposed on Black youth and emerging adults.
LEGAL TEAM
Attorneys
Tiara Greene, Marsha Levick, Riya Shah, Hannah Stommel
Paralegals
Tiffany Faith