Spring 2004 The Future of Capital Punishment: Current Policies and New Debates Summit Menu: 2004 Summit Home Background Lessons Learning Links & Readings Discussion Materials for Summit Teachers Participants Evaluating Web Resources Teaching with Technology Student Evaluations Learning Links & Readings Supreme Court Decisions “Significant U.S. Supreme Court Decisions in Capital Cases Since 1970.” Southern Center for Human Rights, June 22, 1999. U.S. Supreme Court case decisions. Cornell University Legal Information Institute Supreme Court Collection. Cases Some cases are linked from The Oyez Project of Northwestern University, which provides an abstract and voting information for each case, as well as a link to the full-text opinion of the Supreme Court (provided by FindLaw). Batson v. Kentucky, 476 U.S. 79 (1986) Did the prosecutor's removal of the black jurors by using peremptory strikes violate the defendant's rights under the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments to a jury drawn from a cross-section of the community, and under the Fourteenth Amendment to equal protection of the laws? Breard v. Greene, 523 U.S. 371 (1997) May a Paraguayan national receive a stay of execution because he was not informed of his treaty rights under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations? Booth v. Maryland, 482 U.S. 496 (1987) Does the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution, which protects a defendant from cruel and unusual punishment, prohibit a jury from considering a victim impact statement during the sentencing phase of a capital murder trial? Coker v. Georgia, 433 U.S. 584 (1977) Was the imposition of the death penalty for the crime of rape a form of cruel and unusual punishment forbidden by the Eighth Amendment? Furman v. Georgia, 408 U.S. 238 (1972) Does the imposition and carrying out of the death penalty in these cases constitute cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments? Gregg v. Georgia, 428 U.S. 153 (1976) Is the imposition of the death sentence prohibited under the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments as "cruel and unusual" punishment? Harmelin v. Michigan, 501 U.S. 957 (1991) Is a statutorily mandated sentence that does not allow for consideration of mitigating factors a violation of the Eighth Amendment's protection against cruel and unusual punishments? Herrera v. Collins, 506 U.S. 390 (1993) In the absence of other constitutional grounds, new evidence of innocence is no reason for federal court to order a new trial. Jurek v. Texas, 428 U.S. 262 (1976) Is the death penalty a "cruel and unusual" punishment? Is Texas' capital-sentencing procedure unconstitutional? Lockett v. Ohio, 438 U.S. 586 (1978) Did the Ohio law violate the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments by limiting the consideration of mitigating factors? Lockhart v. McCree, 476 U.S. 162 (1986) Does the Constitution prohibit the removal of prospective jurors whose opposition to the death penalty is so strong that it would prevent or substantially impair the performance of their duties as jurors at the sentencing phase of the trial? Louisiana v. Resweber, 329 U.S. 459 (1947) Does the second attempted execution deny Francis due process of law because of double jeopardy guaranteed by the Fifth Amendment and because of cruel and unusual punishment of the Eighth Amendment? McCleskey v. Kemp, 481 U.S. 279 (1987) Did the statistical study prove that McCleskey's sentence violated the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments? Penry v. Lyanaugh, 492 U.S. 302 (1989) Was Penry’s sentence cruel and unusual punishment? Proffitt v. Florida, 428 U.S. 242 (1976) Is the death penalty a "cruel and unusual" punishment? Is Florida's capital-sentencing procedure unconstitutional? Ring v. Arizona, 536 U.S. 584 (2002) 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, 428 U.S. 325 (1976) Does Louisiana's death-penalty sentencing scheme violate the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments' safeguards against arbitrary and capricious death penalty impositions? Rummel v. Estelle, 445 U.S. 263 (1980) Did Rummel's life sentence under the Texas recidivist law constitute cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the Eighth Amendment? Stanford v. Kentucky, 492 U.S. 361 (1989) Does the imposition of the death sentence on convicted capital offenders below the age of 18 years old, violate the Eighth Amendment's protection against cruel and unusual punishment? Thompson v. Oklahoma, 487 U.S. 815 (1988) Would the execution of a 15 year old violate the Eighth Amendment's prohibition against "cruel and unusual punishments"? Turner v. Murray, 476 U.S. 28 (1986) Did a trial judge's refusal to question the prospective jurors on racial prejudice (after the judge had been asked to do so) deprive the defendant of a fair trial? Walton v. Arizona, 497 U.S. 639 (1990) Must a jury make every finding of fact underlying a sentencing decision? Witherspoon v. Illinois, 391 U.S. 510 (1968) Did the elimination of potential jurors on the basis of their scruples about the death penalty result in a jury that fell short of that guaranteed to the petitioner under the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments? Woodson v. North Carolina, 428 U.S. 280 (1976) Did the mandatory death penalty law violate the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments?   Back to Learning Links & Readings Home