Juveniles and the Death Penalty
The United States Supreme Court will hear arguments on the constitutionality of the death penalty for juvenile defendants (those under the age of 18 at the time of their crime) in its upcoming term. The case, Roper v. Simmons (No. 03-0633), involves Christopher Simmons, who was 17 when he was arrested for the murder of Shirley Crook. In 2003, nine years after his conviction, Simmons' case was reviewed by the Missouri Supreme Court. The court determined that juvenile executions violated the Eighth Amendment's provision against cruel and unusual punishment under the "evolving standards of decency" test. Simmons' death sentence was vacated.
In today's New York Times, there is an Op-ed about Juveniles and the Death Penalty that gives a compelling argument for why there the juvenile death penalty is wrong. The best arguments are that most other countries are against and have abolished the juvenile death penalty and that many recent studies have shown that young people's brains have not fully developed before 18, therefore they are not as accountable for their actions as adults are.
Many activists believe that abolition of the juvenile death penalty is a crucial step in abolishing the death penalty overall and have reshifted their focus entirely on that issue. Death Penalty Information Center also has an information page about Juveniles and the Death Penalty that is very helpful.
Posted by Angela at 10:26 AM
Comments
From first experience I can tell you why the Juvenile Death Penalty is wrong. I never in my life thought I would be in a position where I would hear a group of people in the justice system openly talking about wanting to kill my son. Normally such a thing would be illegal, but not in Texas. Renee McGee, assistant DA in my son's case stood in front of the people lined in the pews of the court room and announced with zeal "We're going for the death penalty". You would have thought she was referring to a great expedition in which she was about to embark. But no, she was talking about trying to kill my son.
I can not tell you the pain and anguish I have been through, as the justice system that I thought was there to protect us, turned on us and became our worst enemy.
If a child has a deadly disease, people gather to help, the medical field is ready to fight for their life, but when a child is accused of capital murder, we want to strap them to a table and pump them full of chemicals to make them have a heart attack.
This was also a method that Hitler used to exterminate over 1500 Jews. How can we justify using this on our own citizens.
Posted by: Barbara Acuna at October 22, 2004 08:53 AM
Juveniles know the crime they are commiting is wrong. You know not to stick your hand in the fire when you are young so why wouldn't you know not to murder some inoccent person. People know that they shouldn't kill someone else. Juveniles are also mature enough not to know to kill someone else.
Posted by: Seamore Butts at May 22, 2006 03:27 PM
I have to agree with Seamore. Juveniles know the consequences of there actions. Even most 10 year olds know that you can't just go and kill someone without something bad happenning to you. I don't care who you are, killing someone is wrong and you should be punished for doing something that bad.
Posted by: Jon Tetzlaff at May 22, 2006 03:32 PM
