The Oyez Project: Criminal Procedure Issues - Cruel and Unusual Punishment, Death Penalty Decisions

Arave, Warden v. Creech - Opinion Announcement

Tue, 30 Mar 1993 12:00:00 -0500

No details yet.

Atkins v. Virginia - Opinion Announcement

Thu, 20 Jun 2002 12:00:00 -0500

Is the execution of mentally retarded persons "cruel and unusual punishment" prohibited by the Eighth Amendment?

Bell v. Ohio - Opinion Announcement

Mon, 03 Jul 1978 12:00:00 -0500

No details yet.

Blystone v. Pennsylvania - Opinion Announcement

Wed, 28 Feb 1990 12:00:00 -0500

No details yet.

Brown v. Payton - Opinion Announcement

Tue, 22 Mar 2005 12:00:00 -0500

Was the 9th Circuit correct to rule the California Supreme Court objectively unreasonable in holding that California's "catch-all" mitigation instruction in capital cases is constitutional as applied to post-crime evidence in mitigation?

Brown v. Sanders - Opinion Announcement

Wed, 11 Jan 2006 12:00:00 -0500

Was the Eighth Amendment violated when the California Supreme Court upheld a death sentence even though two of the four special aggravating circumstances considered by the jury were found to be invalid?

Clemons v. Mississippi - Opinion Announcement

Wed, 28 Mar 1990 12:00:00 -0500

No details yet.

Coker v. Georgia - Opinion Announcement

Wed, 29 Jun 1977 12:00:00 -0500

Was the imposition of the death penalty for the crime of rape a form of cruel and unusual punishment forbidden by the Eighth Amendment?

Darden v. Florida - Opinion Announcement

Tue, 19 Apr 1977 12:00:00 -0500

No details yet.

Gardner v. Florida - Opinion Announcement

Tue, 22 Mar 1977 12:00:00 -0500

No details yet.

Gregg v. Georgia - Opinion Announcement

Fri, 02 Jul 1976 12:00:00 -0500

Is the imposition of the death sentence prohibited under the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments as "cruel and unusual" punishment?

Hitchcock v. Dugger - Opinion Announcement

Wed, 22 Apr 1987 12:00:00 -0500

No details yet.

Jones v. United States - Opinion Announcement

Mon, 21 Jun 1999 12:00:00 -0500

Is a death-sentence-eligible defendant entitled to a jury instruction as to the effect of jury deadlock? Is there a reasonable likelihood that a jury might believe that a death-sentence-eligible defendant would receive a court-imposed sentence less than life imprisonment in the event that they could not reach a unanimous sentence recommendation?

Jurek v. Texas - Opinion Announcement

Fri, 02 Jul 1976 12:00:00 -0500

Is the death penalty a "cruel and unusual" punishment? Is Texas' capital-sentencing procedure unconstitutional?

Kansas v. Marsh - Opinion Announcement

Mon, 26 Jun 2006 12:00:00 -0500

(1) Does a statute that provides for the death penalty when mitigating and aggravating factors are in equipoise violate the Eighth Amendment's ban on cruel and unusual punishment? (2) Does the Supreme Court have jurisdiction to review the Kansas Supreme Court's judgment?

Lankford v. Idaho - Opinion Announcement

Mon, 20 May 1991 12:00:00 -0500

No details yet.

Lockett v. Ohio - Opinion Announcement

Mon, 03 Jul 1978 12:00:00 -0500

Did the Ohio law violate the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments by limiting the consideration of mitigating factors?

Lowenfield v. Phelps - Opinion Announcement

Wed, 13 Jan 1988 12:00:00 -0500

No details yet.

McCleskey v. Kemp - Opinion Announcement

Wed, 22 Apr 1987 12:00:00 -0500

Did the statistical study prove that McCleskey's sentence violated the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments?

Oregon v. Guzek - Opinion Announcement

Wed, 22 Feb 2006 12:00:00 -0500

Is there a constitutional right under the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments to introduce evidence of innocence during the sentencing phase of a trial?

Parker v. Dugger - Opinion Announcement

Tue, 22 Jan 1991 12:00:00 -0500

No details yet.

Payne v. Tennessee - Opinion Announcement

Thu, 27 Jun 1991 12:00:00 -0500

No details yet.

Penry v. Johnson - Opinion Announcement

Mon, 04 Jun 2001 12:00:00 -0500

Was a Texas trial court's supplemental instruction on mitigating evidence of mental retardation under the state's "special circumstances" for sentencing in capital murder cases to a jury constitutionally adequate? Does the admission into evidence of statements from a psychiatric report based on an uncounseled interview with the defendant violate the Fifth Amendment's privilege against self-incrimination?

Proffitt v. Florida - Opinion Announcement

Fri, 02 Jul 1976 12:00:00 -0500

Is the death penalty a "cruel and unusual" punishment? Is Florida's capital-sentencing procedure unconstitutional?

Richmond v. Lewis, Director, Arizona Department Of Corrections - Opinion Announcement

Tue, 01 Dec 1992 12:00:00 -0500

No details yet.

Ring v. Arizona - Opinion Announcement

Mon, 24 Jun 2002 12:00:00 -0500

Does Arizona's capital sentencing scheme violate the Sixth Amendment's jury trial guarantee by entrusting to a judge the finding of facts sufficient to impose the death penalty?

Roberts v. Louisiana - Opinion Announcement

Fri, 02 Jul 1976 12:00:00 -0500

Does Louisiana's death-penalty sentencing scheme violate the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments' safeguards against arbitrary and capricious death penalty impositions?

Roberts v. Louisiana - Opinion Announcement

Mon, 06 Jun 1977 12:00:00 -0500

No details yet.

Romano v. Oklahoma - Opinion Announcement

Mon, 13 Jun 1994 12:00:00 -0500

No details yet.

Roper v. Simmons - Opinion Announcement

Tue, 01 Mar 2005 12:00:00 -0500

Does the execution of minors violate the prohibition of "cruel and unusual punishment" found in the Eighth Amendment and applied to the states through the incorporation doctrine of the 14th Amendment?

Sochor v. Florida - Opinion Announcement

Mon, 08 Jun 1992 12:00:00 -0500

No details yet.

Tison v. Arizona - Opinion Announcement

Tue, 21 Apr 1987 12:00:00 -0500

No details yet.

Woodson v. North Carolina - Opinion Announcement

Fri, 02 Jul 1976 12:00:00 -0500

Did the mandatory death penalty law violate the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments?