Death Penalty And The Eighth Amendment :: essays research papers

Death Penalty and The 8th AmendmentThe expression an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth has taken on a whole newmeaning. Lately, murderers have been getting a punishment tally to their crime, remainder. In 1967, executions in the United States were temporarily suspended togive the federal official appellate courts time to decide whether or not the deathpunishment was unconstitutional. Then, in 1972, the United States Supreme chat upruled in the effect of Furman versus Georgia that the death penalty violatedthe Eight Amendments. According to the 8th Amendment, Excessive bail shallnot be required, no excessive fines imposed, nor cruel or unusual punishmentsinflicted. After the Supreme Court made this ruling, states reviewed theirdeath penalty laws. In 1976, in the case of Gregg versus Georgia the SupremeCourt ruled state death penalty laws were not unconstitutional. Presently inthe United States the death penalty can only be utilize as punishment forintentional killing. Still, the death penalty violates the Eighth Amendment andshould be outlawed in the United States.Currently in the United States in that location are five methods used for executingcriminals the electric chair, gas chamber, fatal injection, hanging, andfiring squad, each of them equally cruel and unusual in thither own ways.When a mortal is sentenced to death by electrocution he strapped to achair and electrodes are attached to his head and leg. The amount of electric potential israised and lowered a few times and death is supposititious to occur within threeproceeding. Three whole minutes with electrical energy flowing through someones body, magic spell his flesh burns. Three minutes whitethorn not seem like a very long time, scarcely tosomeone who is waiting for his body to die, three minutes can purport like aneternity.Three minutes is the approximate time it takes for a person to die ifeverything goes right, but in some cases it takes longer for people to die. In1990, Jesse Taf ero, a prisoner in Florida, remained conscious for four minuteswhile witnesses watched ashes fall from his head. In Georgia in 1984, it tooknearly twenty minutes for Alpha Otis Stephens to die. At 1218 am on December12, he was shocked with electricity for two minutes, and his body tranquil showedsigns of life. The doctors had to wait six minutes to examine his body becauseit was too sweltry to touch. Stephens was still alive, so he was electrocuted foranother two minutes. Finally at 1237 am doctors pronounced him dead.When a person is punish in the gas chamber he is strapped to a chair