Posted on 03/01/2005 7:21:16 AM PST by 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.
All men are created equal with the right to liberty?
The 10,000 people killed by people who were convicted of murder and NOT excuted are 10,000 reasons why the death penalty is a deterrent.
On that, I completely agree.
Hard cases make bad law. How many eight year old killers are there out there this would save? How many seventeen year old killers are there who will now go free?
Besides, there are standards in the law to deal with young children who kill.
This is just another crying liberal bedwetter opinion with no basis in reality.
Meaning the gutless coward succumbed to PEER PRESSURE.
That's a paraphrase from the Declaration of Independence.
This is a question that should be debated and decided in state legislatures, not short-circuited by five life-tenured liberals in the Supreme Court.
No state is likely to approve capital punishment for 11 year old killers. But such issues are best resolved at the state level by the elected representatives of the people. Or should be.
You are truly a bleeding heart liberal and on the wrong forum.
CAPITAL CASE OBSERVATIONS [Jonathan H. Adler]
A young Federalist who has already perused Justice Kennedy's opinion in the death penalty case e-mails with two observations. First, the Court cites two unratified treaties in reaching its decision, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the International Criminal Court Convention. Any citation to the latter as authority is quite outrageous. Not only has the U.S. not ratified the treaty, but the U.S. is not even a party; President Bush withdrew from the treaty in his first term. (Yes, Shannon, Kennedy's opinion may be even worse than you think.) I'll have to give these portions of the opinion a close look. Second, somewhat unexpectedly the Chief Justice joined the dissent even though his vote was not necessary to break a tie. Also, here are the dissents by O'Connor and Scalia.
Unless it's Bubba.
Nope. Teenagers who commit murder can be assured that they themselves will not be killed in return...regardless of their crime.
What's so bad about being locked up when you get a roof over your head, television, Playstation, sex (I guess), drugs, and three square meals a day for life?
Do you feel the Declaration of Independence is in opposition to our Constitution?
Well so it's against the law to teach them one of the 10 commandents thou shalt not kill, so why should it be against the law if they do kill you.
If your under 18 yes.. I just disgree with killing children.. You make a blanket statements about me being a lib because im against children being executed? Maybe your the lib.. most of them i know are stupid.
This really stinks. Anyone that is 17 years 364 days days old can murder and get off without facing the full consequence of their actions. How is it that someone 17 years 364 days of age is protected? Why 18?Sends the wrong message to under 18 YO's: "Murder now if you're so inclined."
And dam* those 5-4 votes. Message to Dubya and the GOP: get the Conservative judges (nominations) rolling through the Senate now!
If 16 year olds can hold life-and-death in their hands in the form of a motor vehicle, can earn a paycheck, can pay income taxes, can (some states) legally have sexual relations, can concent to abortions, then a 16 year-old can face a death sentence for murdering their peers, their parents, etc.
A 17 year old is hardly a hair's-breadth difference from an 18 year old.
Yes. The fifth amendment.
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
A slave is a person who was deprived of his liberty without due process of law.
Their not CHILDREN they have the mental capacity of 18 year olds if they mediate and carry out a murder!
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