Wyoming Supreme Court Orders New Sentencing for Sheridan Teen

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) —The Wyoming Supreme Court has ordered a new sentencing hearing for one of the teenagers involved in the 2009 home invasion killing of a Sheridan businessman.

Wednesday's court opinion upholds the convictions of Dharminder Vir Sen.  But the court determined that Sen's sentence of life without parole was improper under a recent ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court prohibiting mandatory life sentences for juvenile offenders.

Sen was 15 when he and two other teenagers broke into the home of Robert Ernst in August 2009. Authorities say Sen was the triggerman in Ernst's fatal shooting.The Wyoming Supreme Court last year vacated a life sentence for co-defendant Wyatt Bear Cloud on similar grounds. Sheridan County Attorney Matt Redle says he expects Sen and Bear Cloud to be resentenced this fall.