State v. Duncan

A juvenile court judge may impose an exceptional sentence if a standard range sentence would constitute a manifest injustice. After his conviction for first degree murder, first degree burglary, attempted residential burglary and two counts of theft of a firearm, 12-year-old John Oliver Duncan received a manifest injustice sentence keeping him in juvenile detention until age 21. He contends the sentence is not supported by the record and is excessive. We remand for resentencing.

On August 19, 1994, Mr. Duncan and another 12-year-old, Manuel Sanchez, attempted to enter a neighbor’s home at 1:00…