Tommy Lee Farmer is a convicted American criminal who was the first person in the United States convicted under the Federal three-strikes law.[1]

A native of Sioux City, Iowa, Farmer was the son of a minister and the brother of a college professor. In 1971 he was convicted of second degree murder in the killing of a veterinarian in Sioux City.[2][3] After having spent most of his adult life in prison, Farmer was paroled and then subsequently arrested for a botched attempt to rob a convenience store in Eastern Iowa. In 1995, he became the first person in the United States to be sentenced under the Three-Strikes Law and received a life sentence.[4] President Bill Clinton considered the Farmer sentencing to be such a landmark decision that he interrupted his vacation to make a press statement.[1][5]

References

  1. 1 2 Butterfield, Fox (11 September 1995). "In for Life: The Three-Strikes Law -- A special report.; First Federal 3-Strikes Conviction Ends a Criminal's 25-Year Career". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 March 2018.
  2. ↑ Bowman, Scott, ed. (2014). Color Behind Bars: Racism in the U.S. Prison System. p. 416.
  3. ↑ Montag, Molly (10 April 2013). "Gov. denies reduced sentence for Sioux City man convicted of '70 killing". Sioux City Journal. Sioux City, Iowa. Retrieved 24 March 2018.
  4. ↑ Ostrow, Ronald J. (1995-08-15). "First Life Sentence Under U.S. 'Three Strikes' Law". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2020-11-07.
  5. ↑ "FindLaw's United States Eighth Circuit case and opinions | UNITED STATES v. FARMER". Findlaw. Des Moines, Iowa. 18 January 1996. Retrieved 24 March 2018.
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