Chambers' Life Imprisonment Upheld in Murder of Deputy John Liebenstein

Editor's Note: The following is a press release from Rice County Attorney Paul Beaumaster:

On May 31, 2013, the Minnesota Supreme Court upheld the Rice County District Court’s sentence of mandatory life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for Timothy Patrick Chambers for the First Degree Murder of Deputy John Liebenstein.

Since 1999, Timothy Chambers has filed several appeals. Throughout the appeal attempts, the Minnesota Supreme Court has upheld his conviction and sentence. The latest attempt to appeal his sentence was based on two United States Supreme Court cases, Graham vs. Florida and Miller vs. Alabama. In Graham vs. Florida, the United States Supreme Court held that a sentence of life without the possibility of release imposed upon juvenile non-homicide offenders constitutes cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the Eighth Amendment. The Miller vs. Alabama case held that “the Eighth Amendment forbids a sentencing scheme that mandates life in prison without possibility of parole for juvenile offenders.”

The Minnesota Supreme Court held that Graham vs. Florida does not apply in this case because it only applies to non-homicide offenders and does not apply to those convicted of homicide and Timothy Chambers is not entitled to the benefit of the Graham rule. The Minnesota Supreme Court also stated that Timothy Chambers is not entitled to the retroactive benefit of the Miller rule in a postconviction proceeding. Mr. Chambers’ life imprisonment without the possibility for parole was upheld by the Minnesota Supreme Court and he will serve the sentence as pronounced.