Year: 1988
Result: 5-3 Thompson won
Constitutional Issue: 8th amendment
Right or Liberty: Liberty
Significance: Execution of a 15 year old is cruel and unusual punishment. Execution of anyone under the age of 16 is cruel and unusual punishment.
Quote: "In performing that task, the Court has reviewed the work product of state legislatures and sentencing juries, and has carefully considered the reasons why a civilized society may accept or reject the death penalty in certain types of cases. Thus, in confronting the question whether the youth of the defendant -- more specifically, the fact that he was less than 16 years old at the time of his offense -- is a sufficient reason for denying the State the power to sentence him to death, we first review relevant legislative enactments, then refer to jury determinations, and finally explain why these indicators of contemporary standards of decency confirm our judgment that such a young person is not capable of acting with the degree of culpability that can justify the ultimate penalty."
Summary: Execution under 16 is cruel punishment
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