In Jefferson City, the Missouri Supreme Court overturned...

In Jefferson City, the Missouri Supreme Court overturned the death sentence of Christopher Simmons, who was 17 when he killed a woman a decade ago. The court found that "a national consensus has developed against the execution of juvenile offenders," as evidenced by the growing number of states that bar such executions for juveniles. Simmons was convicted of throwing Shirley Crook in 1993. In the 4-3 decision issued Tuesday, the court resentenced Simmons to life in prison without eligiblity for probation , parole or release except by act of the governor. Under current state law, convicted murderers age 16 and over can be sentenced to death. The decision Tuesday is at odds with a 1989 U.S. Supreme Court decision in a Missouri case that upheld states' rights to execute people as young as 16.