Supreme Court - Death Penalty Examples (Civil Rights)

Question 1

Ring v Arizona (2002)

Answer 1

SC declared 7-2 that death sentences imposed by judges (rather than juries) were unconstitutional
Infringed 6th amendment right to trial by jury

Question 2

Consequence of Ring v Arizona (2002)

Answer 2

Limited use of death penalty

Question 3

Roper v Simmons (2005)

Answer 3

SC declared 5-4 it unconstitutional to sentence anyone to death for crime committed when younger than 18

Question 4

Consequence of Roper v Simmons (2005)

Answer 4

Limited use of death penalty

Question 5

Baze v Rees (2008)

Answer 5

SC decided lethal injection did not constitute ‘cruel and unusual behaviour’

Question 6

Consequence of Baze v Rees (2008)

Answer 6

Ruling in favour of use of death penalty

Question 7

Atkins v Virginia (2002)

Answer 7

SC stated that execution of mentally disable criminals infringed 8th amendment
But did not define mental disability
- Therefore state passed laws to fix IQ laws low, so criminals would never be classed as mentally disabled

Question 8

Consequence of Atkins v Virginia

Answer 8

Supposedly limited use of death penalty

Question 9

Hall v Florida (2014)

Answer 9

SC ruled unconstitutional that rigid numerical line decides whether a criminal was mentally disabled
SC ruled that state must take into consideration IQ test’s standard +/- 5 margin of error

Question 10

Consequence of Hall v Florida (2014)

Answer 10

Limits use of death penalty

Question 11

Moore v Texas (2017)

Answer 11

Moore, sentenced to death after armed robbery argued that he was mentally disabled
SC ruled that executing Moore would be unconstitutional, as IQ testing in Texas was unreliable

Question 12

Consequence of Moore v Texas (2017)

Answer 12

Further limited death penalty

Question 13

Example of ruling in favour of death penalty

Answer 13

Base v Rees (2008)