An Inmate in Iowa is petitioning the state that he is illegally imprisoned because he died, and that fulfills his life sentence. I mean... he's kinda got a point.
66-year-old Benjamin Schreiber is alive and in good health but angry that he still in an Iowa prison. He's claiming that he already served the life without parole sentence he was handed down, after beating a man to death in the 1990's. Schreiber technically died for a while and had to be resuscitated 5 times in 2015 when he caught a disease and doctors brought him back.
The District Court Of appeals didn't buy his creative attempt at gaming the system saying it was “unpersuasive and without merit”. The even went on to say the fact that he could file the petition himself is proof he is still living.
He then took the case to the Iowa Court of Appeals after that decision. Their decision was just posted and read “We do not believe the legislature intended this provision [ …] to set criminal defendants free whenever medical procedures during their incarceration lead to their resuscitation by medical professionals,”Judge Amanda Potterfield wrote. “Schreiber is either alive, in which case he must remain in prison, or he is dead, in which case this appeal is moot.”
So, doesn't look like it's gonna work for him unless he leaves in a casket. Decent try though right?!