United States v. Owen James Wallulatum

This appeal from a manslaughter conviction challenges on equal protection grounds the imposition of sentence under the Youth Corrections Act ( 18 U.S.C. § 5005 et seq.). The appellant, who was twenty years of age at the time of sentencing, contends that if he had been sentenced as an adult the maximum time he would have to serve would be three years, but that as a “youth” he may have to remain in custody or under some restraint of liberty for up to six years.

The Youth Corrections Act confers benefits as well as burdens upon those who are sentenced under it. Among the benefits can be a form of expungement thought to purge a conviction from the youth’s criminal record. 18 U.S.C. § 5021 . The statute also envisions special treatment for youthful offenders to prevent their becoming habitual adult offenders. Among the burdens can be a longer maximum sentence than that which can be imposed on adult offenders. Although Congress may have believed the special-treatment feature of the Act would benefit youthful offenders in the long run, Wallulatum disagrees with that rationale as applied to him. He says he urgently desires to forego any benefits that may befall him at some future date,…