State v. Higginbottom

BRANCH, Chief Justice.

Defendant first argues that his sentence of life imprisonment is unconstitutionally excessive and constitutes cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the eighth amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

The eighth amendment requires that “a criminal sentence ... be proportionate to the crime for which defendant has been convicted.” Solem v. Helm, 463 U.S. 277, 290 (1983); State v. Ysaguire, 309 N.C. 780, 309 S.E. 2d 436 (1983). We note, however, that only in “exceedingly unusual non-capital cases will the sentences imposed be so grossly disproportionate as…