supreme court case analysis
Assignment one: Supreme Court case
Roper v Simmons.
Due February 3 rd 2014.
Citation: 543 U.S 551,125 S.Ct.1183, 161 L. Ed 2d 1, 2005 U.S.
Facts:
In 1993, respondent Christopher Simmons in the state of Missouri at the age of 17 and his friend, had planned to rob and kill a female victim named Shirley crook. Simmons entered the house, robbed it and proceeded to kill the victim and later threw her off of bridge in a state park. Subsequent to the trial, the court found Simmons to be guilty of all charges and sentenced him to death. Based on the precedent, Stanford v. Kentucky, the State Court of Missouri maintained that the execution of Simmons was applicable. However, Simmons appealed his execution due to his status as a minor and the violation of both the eight and the fourteen amendments.
Issues:
The issue was whether it is constitutional and acceptable to execute a juvenile offender under the protection of the 8th amendment that Rights, protecting him as a minor from punishment considered to be cruel and unusual and the 14th amendment that disallows the government from violating the right(s) to pursue ‘Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness’ with regard to any and all citizens of the United States of America.
Holdings:
The answer was No. The Supreme Court of the United States first established the applicability of the Eight Amendment, as well a precedent of the application of the death penalty to minors. Historically in U.S, minors rarely faced capital punishment. There was a “consensus” that the country is against the death penalty to juveniles.
The Supreme Court stressed that “Capital punishment must be limited to those offenders who commit ‘a narrow category of the most serious crimes’ and whose extreme culpability makes them ‘the most deserving of execution.’” The Supreme also solidified its decision based on the principle that juveniles lack maturity and understanding of responsibility. Juveniles are prone to be influenced by their
Roper v Simmons.
Due February 3 rd 2014.
Citation: 543 U.S 551,125 S.Ct.1183, 161 L. Ed 2d 1, 2005 U.S.
Facts:
In 1993, respondent Christopher Simmons in the state of Missouri at the age of 17 and his friend, had planned to rob and kill a female victim named Shirley crook. Simmons entered the house, robbed it and proceeded to kill the victim and later threw her off of bridge in a state park. Subsequent to the trial, the court found Simmons to be guilty of all charges and sentenced him to death. Based on the precedent, Stanford v. Kentucky, the State Court of Missouri maintained that the execution of Simmons was applicable. However, Simmons appealed his execution due to his status as a minor and the violation of both the eight and the fourteen amendments.
Issues:
The issue was whether it is constitutional and acceptable to execute a juvenile offender under the protection of the 8th amendment that Rights, protecting him as a minor from punishment considered to be cruel and unusual and the 14th amendment that disallows the government from violating the right(s) to pursue ‘Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness’ with regard to any and all citizens of the United States of America.
Holdings:
The answer was No. The Supreme Court of the United States first established the applicability of the Eight Amendment, as well a precedent of the application of the death penalty to minors. Historically in U.S, minors rarely faced capital punishment. There was a “consensus” that the country is against the death penalty to juveniles.
The Supreme Court stressed that “Capital punishment must be limited to those offenders who commit ‘a narrow category of the most serious crimes’ and whose extreme culpability makes them ‘the most deserving of execution.’” The Supreme also solidified its decision based on the principle that juveniles lack maturity and understanding of responsibility. Juveniles are prone to be influenced by their