On June 26, 2026, the Alaska Superior Court resentenced Jonathan “Jon” Norton for the murder he committed in 1989, when he was 16 years old, after a hearing held in late May and early June. Based on the facts and testimony provided in the resentencing hearing, the court found that Mr. Norton was not irredeemably corrupt and therefore eligible for resentencing. Norton is now scheduled for release in October 2031.
The ACLU of Alaska issued the following response to the court’s determination:
“At sixteen years of age, Mr. Norton committed a crime that forever changed the lives of the Samuels family and our community. Nothing can ease the pain of this deep loss. Mr. Norton acknowledges this truth and has taken accountability for his actions throughout his 36 years of incarceration. Alaska’s constitution balances principles of punishment and restoration, yet our carceral and criminal legal systems often work in ways that further traumatize all involved, from the loved ones of victims to the community to the defendants themselves. Our legal system bears the responsibility of holding the tension of accountability and healing when determining sentencing, a responsibility that must be felt even more deeply when we are sentencing adolescents.
We know that Mr. Norton will continue to serve his sentence as an exemplary inmate and, upon his release, will take his place as a rehabilitated member of the community.”
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