No. 25-5797

Leigha Page Ackerson v. Colorado

Lower Court: Colorado
Docketed: 2025-10-03
Status: Denied
Type: IFP
Response WaivedIFP
Tags: criminal-procedure felony-murder legislative-amendment life-without-parole proportionality-review sentencing
Latest Conference: 2025-11-07
Question Presented (from Petition)

1. Whether the procedure to affirm an LWOP
sentence for felony murder once the Felony Murder
bill 21-124 became effective is in the interest of
justice, People v. Mcrae, Colo. 91 (2019) "even if the
amendments do not apply retroactively. "?

2. Should the court of appeals have relied on People v.
Sellers, 2022 COA 102 to determine that a sentence
of life without the possibility of parole for felony
murder is not grossly disproportionate in light of
the General Assembly 's recent reclassification of
the offense to a class 2 felony, not heeding the
various factors that may be considered in a
proportionality review determined by Wells-Yates
v. People, 2019 CO 90, rather than Ms. Ackerson 's
case alone

Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether the procedure to affirm an LWOP sentence for felony murder under Senate Bill 21-124 is in the interest of justice despite non-retroactive amendments

Docket Entries

2025-11-10
Petition DENIED.
2025-10-09
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 11/7/2025.
2025-10-06
Waiver of State of Colorado of right to respond submitted.
2025-10-06
Waiver of right of respondent State of Colorado to respond filed.
2025-06-24
Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due November 3, 2025)

Attorneys

Leigha Ackerson
Leigha Page Ackerson — Petitioner
State of Colorado
Jillian Joy PriceColorado Attorney General's Office, Respondent