I just heard on the TV that someone got life in prison plus 47 years. I never understood this. Life in prison is life in prison so what does this mean when they get additional time on top of life in prison?
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In the US, life sentences are given for things like murder, so if tou combine that with another crime(s) that gives you life plus whatever else, so that if the murder is overturned then you still have to serve the time fo me the other crime
Where I’m from (Canada), two things put you in prison for life: first degree murder and high treason. Canada doesn’t actually have life imprisonment however, the maximum sentence is “life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years” since the supreme court says life imprisonment is cruel and unusual punishment. That being said you can only be given one life sentence and are essentially guaranteed to be able to apply for parole after 25 years at most.
About a dozen people have been sentenced to no chance of parole for 40, 50, 70, or 75 years on several counts of first degree murder, but our supreme court ruled against this calling it cruel and unusual punishment, and everyone was then allowed to apply for parole 25 years after imprisonment.
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