[marktuoni]

I guess somewhere between being thrown off a cliff in a sack and being given cable television, a weight room and three square meals a day is probably where the founders were in their thinking.

I personally don't think either extreme is any more aggregious than the other. I just tend to lean more toward your definition of cruel and unusual, I suppose.

"Cruel and unusual" is and was during the writing of the amendment likely intentionally vague.

[mc5cents]

"Cruel and unusual" is and was during the writing of the amendment likely intentionally vague.

And does it have to be Cruel AND Unusual? For instance, I believe that while throwing someone off a cliff is unusual, it is not that cruel. However, forcing hot lead down someone's throat meets both criteria I would think. :o)

[crystalk]

This reference to a "cliff" seems so appropriate for where poor Samantha was found: have you ever seen that sudden dropoff with Lake Elsinore right straight down under you there, it is really a dramatic place. No doubt that is why the hang gliders were there.