State of Maine v. Djvan Carter

Summary

The Maine Supreme Judicial Court affirmed Djvan Carter's convictions for aggravated attempted murder, elevated aggravated assault, kidnapping, and domestic violence aggravated assault, and affirmed his sentence of life imprisonment. The court held that Carter's invocation of his right to silence was scrupulously honored and his subsequent hospital-statement waiver was voluntary despite his methamphetamine binge; that the evidence of 'extreme cruelty' was sufficient; that life imprisonment for aggravated attempted murder is not unconstitutionally disproportionate under Me. Const. art. I, § 9; and that no trial penalty was imposed. It announced as a best practice that sentencing courts should expressly analyze the Shortsleeves factors when life imprisonment is possible for aggravated attempted murder, while holding that an implicit analysis sufficed here.