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.

[jwalsh07]

JUSTICE SCALIA, with whom THE CHIEF JUSTICE and JUSTICE THOMAS join, dissenting.

In urging approval of a constitution that gave life-tenured judges the power to nullify laws enacted by the people’s representatives, Alexander Hamilton assured the citizens of New York that there was little risk in this, since “[t]he judiciary . . . ha[s] neither FORCE nor WILL but merely judgment.” The Federalist No. 78, p. 465 (C. Rossiter ed. 1961). But Hamilton had in mind a traditional judiciary, “bound down by strict rules and precedents which serve to define and point out their duty in every particular case that comes before them.” Id., at 471. Bound down, indeed. What a mockery today’s opinion makes of Hamilton’s expectation, announcing the Court’s conclusion that the meaning of our Constitution has changed over the past 15 years—not, mind you, that this Court’s decision 15 years ago was wrong, but that the Constitution has changed....

Holding and dissents here in PDF

[snarkytart]

>>One word for you: Columbine.
Dylan Klebold was 17. Now, defend your position<<


A few instances like Columbine and you'll hear an outcry for the DP and the courts will abide.
People forget the bad times when all is going good.
Low crime rate across the board gets you this decision today.

[Modernman]

So if a 15 year old rapes and murders your mom, sister, daughter you'd let them sit in jail and get 3 hots and t.v., game room, library use, .....etc for the rest of his life? How weak are you?

We don't live in Afghanistan or Pakistan. Justice is not exacted by the victim's family, but rather by a calm, impartial legal system.

[TFine80]

And once again I imagine the dissent (it's by Scalia, right?) will be hilarious.

Did you read the Sodomy dissent?

[Next_Time_NJ]

Your throwing the Dukakis question at me hhehe. Out of anger id probably kill him/her myself.. but i have a very bad temper.. doesnt make it right though.

[M 91 u2 K]

Check posts 235 and 359!

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

As Scalia said, the court has set itself up as the final arbiter of what the nation's moral standards must be.

[JCEccles]

Just as an aside, some States have never had the death penalty. Michigan's constitution forbids it, for example

Precisely. it was left to the people of Michigan to decide. It wasn't imposed on them by five unelected life-tenured liberals on the Supreme Court.

That's as it should be.

The beauty of it is, what the people of Michigan have done they can undo by the same democratic process. A SCOTUS pronouncement, on the other hand, is not only arbitrary and elitist it is far more permanent in a practical sense.

[Teacher317]

The danger they present is not over. There's:

Pardons...

Parole rules changes...

Escapes...

Murder of those who are forced to live or work near them...

Appellate reversals based on suspect reasoning (playing the race card, changing public opinions, PR campaigns, etc)

[Next_Time_NJ]

We don't live in Afghanistan or Pakistan. Justice is not exacted by the victim's family, but rather by a calm, impartial legal system.

Utho you might be called a lib for that one bro! That words being used a lot today with some of these people!

[BureaucratusMaximus]

I am infavor of the death penality but not for young children.

If a child learned how to kill and followed through with the act...I wouldn't consider that person a "child" anymore.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Gee, maybe the families of the victims of these MURDERS can console themselves a little bit. "At least, the murderer was not an ADULT. There, I feel a little better now."

/sarc

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

But to put them to death I just don't feel comfortable with.

Putting someone to death really isn't something that you should be comfortable with. It is like war. It maybe a necessary part of life on occasion but it is not suppose to be comfortable. But to not do something that is necessary because we are not comfortable is to abdicate our responsibility as members of a society.

[Modernman]

Mandatory sentencing is Unconstitutional according to SCOTUS

It's more complicated than that. A crime can have a mandatory minimum sentence. However, a judge is now more free to determine whether a person convicted of a crime deserves to have additonal years added to his sentence.

This ruling does not give judges the power to go under a mandatory minimum sentence.

[jwalsh07]

if I could get them to abolish it for the innocent unborn, I would take the other in trade.

Me too. :-}

[M 91 u2 K]

YOu dont like Scalia?

He is one of the best Judges on the courts.

You are on the wrong forum if you prefer the insanity of Ginsburg and O'Conner!

[Next_Time_NJ]

As Scalia said, the court has set itself up as the final arbiter of what the nation's moral standards must be.

They they certainly cant rule on abortion then can they? With a statement like that.

[EternalVigilance]

This country is in DEEP trouble.