Edwards v. Harrod

Opinion of the Court by

Chief Justice MINTON.

Kentucky’s Youthful Offender Statute classifies as a youthful offender a minor charged with a certain level of criminal offense and directs the transfer of that youthful offender’s case to circuit court for trial as an adult.1 We granted discretionary review of the present case to consider whether youthful offenders who are convicted and sentenced in circuit court can also be classified as violent offenders subject to the parole-eligibility restrictions imposed by Kentucky’s Violent Offender Statute.2 We hold that they can.

In considering this issue,…