Teenage Killers Seek Justice in Georgia as Lawsuits Challenge Parole Denials for Lifers Sentenced as Minors

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Janice Buttrum, who has spent 44 years in prison for a murder committed as a teenager, is challenging the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles through two federal lawsuits that argue the board's parole process violates Supreme Court rulings regarding juvenile offenders. Buttrum, alongside fellow plaintiff David Moore, contends that the board's reliance on the original crime without considering their rehabilitation and maturity is unconstitutional. The outcome of these lawsuits could potentially affect Buttrum and the 500 others in Georgia prisons serving life sentences for crimes committed as minors, highlighting concerns over the lack of transparency and fairness in the parole process.