U.S. Supreme Court takes Missouri death penalty case (killer under age 18)

[Ediacara]

U.S. Supreme Court takes Missouri death penalty case
By Anne Gearan
Associated Press
01/26/2004

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Supreme Court, which two years ago abolished executions for the mentally retarded, said Monday it will now consider ending the execution of killers who were under 18 when they committed their crimes.

The court said it will reopen the question of whether executing very young killers violates the Constitution's ban on "cruel and unusual punishment." Currently, states that allow the death penalty may impose it on killers who were 16 or 17 at the time of their crimes.

The court's decision, expected by June, continues the high court's reexamination of who belongs on death row and how the death penalty is carried out.

The court agreed to hear the case of a Missouri man who was 17 when he robbed a woman, wrapped her head in duct tape and threw her off a railroad bridge in 1993. The state Supreme Court declared it unconstitutional to send people to their deaths for killings committed when they were younger than 18.

More at the Saint Louis Post-Dispatch

[Pegleg Thd]

1. Look for other states to

fast track the executions of others in this situation before the slime-ball supremes puke out their ruling.

[wellst0nev0ter]

2. Didn't They Already Do This For A Case In Texas?

I remember people like Clarence Thomas, Scalia and Rhenquist had to recuse themselves because the victim was the father of one of their associates.