thompson v. oklahoma
Year: 1988
Result: 5-3, favor Thompson
Related Constitutional issue/Amendment: 8th Amendment (Cruel and Unusual Punishment)
Civil rights or Civil liberties: Civil liberties
Significance/precedent: The Court ruled that the execution of a person under the age of 16 was unconstitutional, and deemed cruel and unusual. The Court noted the ban of the execution of those under the age of 16 in all relevant state statutes.
Quote from majority opinion: “...concluding that the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments prohibit the execution of a person who was under 16 years of age at the time of his or her offense.”
Summary of dissent: The question posed by this case is whether there is a national agreement that no one under the age of 16, even with the individual's circumstances having been taken into account and it has been decided to try the individual as an adult, is mature and responsible enough to be punished with death for any crime. There is no reasonable way the answer this question "yes" and rule the execution of someone under 16 with the specified conditions, cruel and unusual.
6-word summary: Execution of minors; cruel and unusual
Result: 5-3, favor Thompson
Related Constitutional issue/Amendment: 8th Amendment (Cruel and Unusual Punishment)
Civil rights or Civil liberties: Civil liberties
Significance/precedent: The Court ruled that the execution of a person under the age of 16 was unconstitutional, and deemed cruel and unusual. The Court noted the ban of the execution of those under the age of 16 in all relevant state statutes.
Quote from majority opinion: “...concluding that the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments prohibit the execution of a person who was under 16 years of age at the time of his or her offense.”
Summary of dissent: The question posed by this case is whether there is a national agreement that no one under the age of 16, even with the individual's circumstances having been taken into account and it has been decided to try the individual as an adult, is mature and responsible enough to be punished with death for any crime. There is no reasonable way the answer this question "yes" and rule the execution of someone under 16 with the specified conditions, cruel and unusual.
6-word summary: Execution of minors; cruel and unusual