An Indian juvenile from the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Reservation in Arizona was set free by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals last week after serving 35 months on a 30-month sentence.

Jonah R. was convicted after shooting a law enforcement officer on the reservation. He spent 35 months in custody before being sentenced to 30 months under the Federal Juvenile Delinquency Act.

But he was kept in detention because the U.S. Bureau of Prisons refused to apply Jonah's time served to his sentence. The 9th Circuit, however, said Jonah must receive credit for his "pre-sentence custody."

The 9th Circuit said its decision doesn't affect Jonah's 30 months of supervised release.

Court Decision:
Jonah R. v Carmona (May 2, 2006)