The Supreme Court declined to hear a case from a Colorado inmate who argued that his prison sentence exceeded the maximum allowed, and it did so without input from Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, who has a history with the petitioner.
Delmart Edward Vreeland is serving a 336-year-to-life sentence after being convicted of child prostitution, sexual assault, sexual exploitation of children and distribution of cocaine in 2008. He asked the Supreme Court to hear his case and ultimately vacate or correct his sentence, arguing that Colorado courts violated his Sixth Amendment right by allowing a judge to decide facts that enhanced his sentence under a habitual-offender law rather than a jury.
The Supreme Court declined to hear the case, and the order list issued on Monday stated that Gorsuch took no part in its consideration. While some justices have started giving specific reasons for declining to participate in a case, Gorsuch gave no reason, though it’s likely because he knows the petitioner.
Before he was a Supreme Court justice, Gorsuch served on the…