Appeal in LSU student murder case revived by Louisiana Supreme Court

BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — The Louisiana Supreme Court reversed a dismissal of the state’s appeal in the resentencing of Dale Craig, who was convicted of killing an LSU student in the 1990s.

The case was remanded to the First Circuit Court of Appeal. Attorney General Liz Murrill said the state can now make its case that Craig never should’ve received a chance for parole.

“I’m grateful that the Louisiana Supreme Court affirmed the State’s authority to ensure that the worst criminals are held accountable. Our next step will be making that case to the First Circuit to guarantee that murderer Dale Craig never sets foot on Louisiana streets again,” Murrill said.

The court stated that Craig was convicted and sentenced to death in 1994 after the murder of Kipp Gullet. Murrill’s office provided more background on the case, saying Gullet was an 18-year-old freshman when he was murdered on Sept. 14, 1992.

Since Craig was a juvenile at the time of the crime, his sentence was reduced to life in prison without the possibility of parole under Roper v. Simmons. He was initially sentenced to death. Later, after Miller v. Alabama and Montgomery v. Louisiana, a hearing determined Craig was eligible for parole and resentenced.

Chief Justice John Weimer was the only judge to dissent, stating, “Although I find the state has no right to appeal the judgment imposing a legal sentence, I also recognize the court of appeal has constitutional authority to exercise supervisory jurisdiction to review the trial court’s ruling.”

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