Executing Juveniles:Judicial Train Wreck

The Pittsburgh Tribune Review ^ | 03/03/05 | Editor

[smoothsailing]

The U.S. Supreme Court,5 -4,says evolving standards of "decency " forbid the death penalty for anyone under the age of 18 at the time of the crime.

Pennsylvania is among 19 of 38 death -penalty states that allowed execution of juvenile murderers.From the bench, the Legislature that acts in your name is declared indecent.

Pardon us for being "indecent " also....

[smoothsailing]

Short Editorial, well worth clicking on the link.

[Congressman Billybob]

We may be about to see the toppling of another Berlin Wall. This one will be intellectual, not physical. The Supreme Court may have just violated the Constitution badly enough, and obviously enough, to prompt a revolt against the Court in Congress.

And under Article III of the Constitution, Congress does have the power to put a world of hurt on the arrogant, judicial dictators currently on the Court. Fortunately, many of them are aging and near then end of their physical careers. They WILL be replaced.

Congressman Billybob

Latest column, "Death in a Courtly Manner"

[Sola Veritas]

Wrote Justice Antonin Scalia in dissent:

"By what conceivable warrant can nine lawyers presume to be the authoritative conscience of the nation?"

Pretty much says it all!

[goodnesswins]

I pray that you are correct!

[smoothsailing]

Congress must act. But it will take grass roots efforts to budge many in that body.

[G.Mason]

"From Olympus, they care not of the wreckage they cause."

Perhaps. There are, however, many that do and many more to whom the light is about to shine for.

Is that smoke I smell?

[smoothsailing]

Indeed it says much about individual justces and their unbridled arrogance.

[balch3]

So the Supreme Court cares about "decency" now. A shame they won't aply it to broadcast and internet filth.

[Graybeard58]

Fortunately, many of them are aging and near then end of their physical careers. They WILL be replaced.

By whom? That's the big queation. Many of them could last another 4-8 or even 12 more years.

[smoothsailing]

Agreed. Not to mention ending the slaughter of innocents. My, how the Angels must weep.

[elephantlips]

This is the same GOP led congress, that cannot seem to get its body parts together to confront the opposition regarding judicial nominees, to which you refer? Getting the justices into place would be a very good step toward getting a rational judicial system as an underpinning to SCOTUS. The idea that congress would actually threaten, with the intent to carry through, impeachment if judicial review, (dare I say, the "creation of legislation,") and the subjugation of American law to foreign consideration, is beyond imagination.

[joshhiggins]

"Evolving standards"? Sounds like good solid law to me.

[solo gringo]

I am 71 years old and i hope i live long enough to see the demise of this bunch of jerks.

[Congressman Billybob]

You haven't looked, as I have, not only at the ages of the current Justices, much less their medical infirmities. President Bush WILL get the opportunity to replace at least three members of the Court, maybe more.

Other than Thomas and Scalia, the Justices are, as horse traders say hereabouts, very "long of tooth."

John / Billybob, Esq.

[smoothsailing]

I can visualize some 16 year street thug saying to his bro; Hey dude, we can kill anybody we want, they passed that evolving thing.

[John Thornton]

I can visualize some 16 year street thug saying to his bro; Hey dude, we can kill anybody we want, they passed that evolving thing.

I predict that at this rate, that "evolving thing" will evolve to get under 18 offenders totally off the hook for their crimes. After all, they can't legally drink---how can we hold them responsible for their crimes?

[Tacis]

Here comes a new media bias for the old-timey, neocommunist outlets. You know how the media always identifies Republican wrong doers in the first line but never dems? How they NEVER add to a minority stereotype? Well this will be another one.

The old-timey media will stop identifying under age 18 murderers because there will be so many more of them. The leftists believe that the death penalty has no deterrent effect. Watch this!! Teen murderers think they are invincible and now that the death penalty is off the table, we will see an outbreak of armed stick ups and robberies where some one is killed. Most killers will brag that they are under 18 and can't be touched. The media will work very hard to hide these incidents and these admissions.

The anti-American media will hide the evidence that the death penalty was a deterrent, that there is an outbreak of teen murderers since the decision and that most of these murderers are black or Mexican.

[totherightofu]

We MUST pressure Congress to do something!

You guys can console yourselves with, "They're aging, they will be replaced." But if God forbid Hitlery or some other socialist Dim gets into the White House, we may wind up with another kangaroo court. We can't afford to take that chance! We have to DO something. NOW!!

[Peach]

So the Court has decided that teenagers are too immature to understand their actions when they commit murder.

But the same Court decided that teenagers are mature enough to get abortions without parental consent.

Doesn't make sense to me, but hey, what do I know.

[smoothsailing]

Im not a lawyer, just an old chopper jock. But if this is what you meant about Article III, it sure reads like a check and balance to me.

Article III, section 2:

...in all the other cases before mentioned, the Supreme Court shall have appelate jurisdiction, both as to law and fact, with such exceptions,and under such regulations as the Congress shall make.