Tommy Lee Farmer

Tommy Lee Farmer is an American convicted 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. 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.