A Moratorium on the Death Penalty
Main body
A deeply divided Court ruled that the death penalty, as applied, violated the Eighth Amendments's ban on cruel and unusual punishment and the Fourteenth Amendment's Equal Protection Clause. Basically, the Court found that poor people and minorities were more likely to receive death sentences than affluent or white defendants accused of similar crimes. To remedy the situation, the Court directed states to create clearer procedures and guidelines for judges and juries to follow in capital sentencing.
Students
Test your knowledge of this case by taking a short quiz after watching the video.
Teachers
Visit our LiveBinder to view lesson plans, classroom resources, and current events related to the issues in this case.
View the LiveBinder
E-mail LRE@gabar.org from your school e-mail address and ask for the access key to unlock this LiveBinder. Be sure to include the name of the case and your name, school name, and grade level(s) or subject(s) taught in your e-mail.