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Back-to-back life sentences

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199:, a judge was permitted to stack multiple 25-year periods of parole ineligibility to account for multiple victims. Before doing this, the judge had to consider a jury's recommendation to this effect. The life sentences were not served consecutively (back to back) but the multiple periods of parole ineligibility led to a similar result. The longest period of parole ineligibility was 75 years, handed out to four offenders: 42: 231:. The Supreme Court of Canada's declaration of constitutional invalidity meant that section 745.51 was struck down retroactively. The result of the case law is hence that, per the law prior to 2011, that the sole penalty for murder is life imprisonment with 25 years' ineligibility for parole, regardless of how many murders are committed; in effect, only the plausibility of being 226:
dismissed the Crown's appeal in May 2022, finding multiple periods of parole ineligibility for first degree murder to be unconstitutional due to imposing an in effect irrevocable life sentence, contrary to the function of parole after a minimum period, which would be "grossly disproportionate"
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after serving a minimum length of time, on the order of 15–25 years. If a back-to-back penalty is imposed, the defendant must serve that minimum for every life sentence before parole can be granted, resulting in effect in a life-without-parole sentence, given the defendant's
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Other countries either allow multiple concurrent life sentences which can be served at the same time (e.g. Russia), or allow multiple consecutive life sentences with a single minimum term (e.g. Australia), thus allowing earlier release of the prisoner.
338: 324: 31: 166:. Such a penalty also ensures that even if any of the convictions are overturned on appeal, the defendant must still serve the sentences for the ones left standing without need of a 294: 238:
The Criminal Code permits consecutive (back to back) sentences for other types of offences which results in extended parole ineligibility for those offences.
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in the United States. Depending on the jurisdiction in which the case is tried, a defendant receiving a life sentence may become eligible for
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In Canada, after December 2, 2011, it became possible for multiple periods of parole ineligibility to be imposed for multiple
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given to a convicted felon. This practice is used to ensure the felon will never be released from prison.
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with 25 years' ineligibility for parole. Due to the addition of section 745.51 to the
163: 366: 170:(as would presumably be the case if a single sentence is issued for several crimes). 147: 353:"Sentence Calculation: Fast Facts: Offenders Serving Multiple Consecutive Sentences" 41: 272:
Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles Guidelines – Life Sentences
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This is a common punishment for a defendant convicted of multiple
35: 339:"Sentences in the criminal justice system | ontario.ca" 32:
List of people sentenced to more than one life imprisonment
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Government of Canada Criminal Code (R.S.C., 1985, c. C-46)
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What are Consecutive Life Sentences?, criminal.laws.com
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Section 745.51 was found to be unconstitutional by the
295:"Consolidated federal laws of Canada, Criminal Code" 325:"2022 SCC 23 (CanLII) | R. v. Bissonnette | CanLII" 191:. The mandatory penalty for first-degree murder is 66:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. 203:(later reduced to 25 years), John Paul Ostamas, 8: 27:Consecutive life sentences given to a felon 126:Learn how and when to remove this message 264: 229:Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms 7: 227:punishment and thus contrary to the 64:adding citations to reliable sources 25: 40: 51:needs additional citations for 146:, are two or more consecutive 1: 75:"Back-to-back life sentences" 164:reasonably expected lifespan 140:back-to-back life sentences 389: 144:consecutive life sentences 29: 18:Consecutive life sentences 248:Incapacitation (penology) 224:Supreme Court of Canada 197:Criminal Code of Canada 216:Quebec Court of Appeal 138:In judicial practice, 314:on August 17th, 2015. 220:Alexandre Bissonnette 212:Quebec Superior Court 235:parole is affected. 207:and Derek Saretzky. 189:first-degree murders 60:improve this article 355:. 12 November 2021. 297:. 14 January 2024. 253:Life imprisonment 193:life imprisonment 136: 135: 128: 110: 16:(Redirected from 380: 373:Sentencing (law) 357: 356: 349: 343: 342: 335: 329: 328: 321: 315: 310:, archived from 305: 299: 298: 291: 285: 280: 274: 269: 131: 124: 120: 117: 111: 109: 68: 44: 36: 21: 388: 387: 383: 382: 381: 379: 378: 377: 363: 362: 361: 360: 351: 350: 346: 337: 336: 332: 323: 322: 318: 306: 302: 293: 292: 288: 281: 277: 270: 266: 261: 244: 218:in the case of 205:Douglas Garland 185: 180: 132: 121: 115: 112: 69: 67: 57: 45: 34: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 386: 384: 376: 375: 365: 364: 359: 358: 344: 330: 316: 300: 286: 275: 263: 262: 260: 257: 256: 255: 250: 243: 240: 201:Justin Bourque 184: 181: 179: 176: 148:life sentences 142:, also called 134: 133: 48: 46: 39: 26: 24: 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 385: 374: 371: 370: 368: 354: 348: 345: 340: 334: 331: 326: 320: 317: 313: 309: 304: 301: 296: 290: 287: 284: 279: 276: 273: 268: 265: 258: 254: 251: 249: 246: 245: 241: 239: 236: 234: 230: 225: 221: 217: 213: 208: 206: 202: 198: 194: 190: 182: 177: 175: 171: 169: 165: 160: 156: 151: 149: 145: 141: 130: 127: 119: 108: 105: 101: 98: 94: 91: 87: 84: 80: 77: –  76: 72: 71:Find sources: 65: 61: 55: 54: 49:This article 47: 43: 38: 37: 33: 19: 347: 333: 319: 312:the original 303: 289: 278: 267: 237: 232: 209: 186: 172: 152: 143: 139: 137: 122: 116:January 2022 113: 103: 96: 89: 82: 70: 58:Please help 53:verification 50: 259:References 222:; and the 86:newspapers 30:See also: 178:By nation 367:Category 242:See also 233:granted 168:retrial 155:murders 100:scholar 183:Canada 159:parole 102:  95:  88:  81:  73:  107:JSTOR 93:books 214:and 79:news 62:by 369:: 341:. 327:. 129:) 123:( 118:) 114:( 104:· 97:· 90:· 83:· 56:. 20:)

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Consecutive life sentences
List of people sentenced to more than one life imprisonment

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"Back-to-back life sentences"
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life sentences
murders
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first-degree murders
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Criminal Code of Canada
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Douglas Garland
Quebec Superior Court
Quebec Court of Appeal
Alexandre Bissonnette
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Incapacitation (penology)
Life imprisonment

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