CNN: US SUPREME COURT: ALL DEATH PENALTY CASES WITH JUVENILE KILLERS THROWN OUT!

CNN on TV

[Next_Time_NJ]

The Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that the Constitution forbids the execution of killers who were under 18 when they committed their crimes, ending a practice used in 19 states.

The 5-4 decision throws out the death sentences of about 70 juvenile murderers and bars states from seeking to execute minors for future crimes.

The executions, the court said, were unconstitutionally cruel.

This report will be updated as details become available.

[Little Ray]

I have no problem with executing teenagers. If they do the crime, they can die.
In a lot of cases, its too bad you can't execute the parents, too.

[newzjunkey]

One word for you: Columbine.

Dylan Klebold was 17. Now, defend your position.

[SoFloFreeper]

5-4, eh? So who was the "moderate"? O'Connor or Kennedy?

[WildTurkey]

Yeah, this is big, but honestly I think I have to agree with their decision.

When the constitution was written, a 17 year old was a man.

[Mad Mammoth]

I hope one of the Carr brothers in Wichita were not juveniles

Not to worry, both of those sub-human scumbags were over the age of 18 when they murdered their victims. First, they'll get to meet Mr. Needle. Second, they get to meet their eternal master, aka Lucifer and his 24/7 BBQ Pit & Spit.

It won't be pretty.

[Petronski]

Not at all. Nice ends, crappy and unjustifiable means.

[Bogey78O]

There is no magical divide between 18 and 17 in terms of maturity.

[jla]

This just in... The Killers victims are still DEAD!

And I would venture to guess not all of those victims were 18 or over at the time they were murdered.

[Tree of Liberty]

How about if an 11 year old killed someone--would you say the same thing?
No, because he's just a kid, he can't think like an adult and understand what he did. No one wants to execute 11 year olds. With all due respect, please don't presume to speak for me. I happen to believe that an 11 year old should be just as susceptible to the death penalty as any adult, if they are charged with murder.

[AmishDude]

Dear Homicidal kid,

There are 5 Supreme Court justices who hate you and want to take away your candy. Let me give you their home addresses...

[SoFloFreeper]

The SC has gone highly liberal, running on politics, and if EVER TERM LIMITS SHOULD BE APPLIED...

Fine, but only after a conservative court has sat for about 40 years, so the perversion to the Constitution that has occurred in the interim can be fully addressed.

[Next_Time_NJ]

Im trying to say that kids that are young do not grasp the idea of what jail and death is yet. All they see is TV and movies. If a 13 year old with a gun is going to shoot someone .. the last thing he/she is thinking about is "I might get introuble".. He/she already has the gun, loaded the gun.. i think prior to even picking up the gun.. if he/she thought they were going to go to jail they would have never picked it up in the first place.

[Captain Jack Aubrey]

Nope. Kennedy.

[newzjunkey]

AMEN!! Those who agree with SCOTUS on this ruling need to be reminded Dylan Klebold, one of the Columbine gunmen was 17. His partner was 18. SCOTUS says one could've been sentenced to death. The other, a maximum of life in prison.

[HostileTerritory]

We aren't talking about 10-year olds, but rather 16 and 17 year old teens.

If these teens have such a broad grasp on the full consequences of their actions, why shouldn't they be allowed to vote, have sex with adults, and abort their own kids without telling their parents?

Age of consent laws exist for a reason. There are always some mature 16 year olds who are equivalent to adults and iimmature 23 year olds who aren't. The law can't distinguish on that subjective basis, so it draws a line at 18. That line crosses all levels of jurisprudence that separate adults from kids. Before 18, a kid is an imperfect, under-mentalized human being, and should be treated as such.

Life in prison is nothing to sneeze at.

[Trust but Verify]

I seriously doubt anyone who commits murder gives any thought to what the punishment will be if they get caught. The constitutional argument is the better one.

[AmishDude]

Not that I really like the idea of executing kid killers, but isn't that what state legislatures are for?

There you go with that right-wing stuff again.

[Truth29]

If you are not in favor of the death penalty for 15 year old "children," you need to study the activities of gangs and gang recruitment. It is common practice in DC for instance, for gangs to use younger members to carry out hits on opponents because they are rarely prosecuted beyond juvenile incarceration until majority. This decision will only expand the use of young contract and gang banger killers. Also, some gangs, like the Salvadoran gangs, use killings as an initiation rite.

[Borges]

Can you really make a case for this case in terms of legislating from the bench? What does 'Cruel and Unusual Punishment' really mean? Isn't that something for judges to use contemporary community values on?