8th Amendment

8th Amendment

Punishment must fit the crimePunishments should not violate

decency standards

“Excessive bail shall not be required nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted”

Rights and Protections

Protect persons accused of crimesDelays while prosecution and

defense for trialInnocent until proven guilty

BailMoney or property given

to the courts to ensure accused person will return or appear in court

May be denied – based on previous behavior & seriousness of crime

Bounty

• Catch a person who didn’t show up at court

Fines

• Monetary punishment / consequence ($)

Capital Punishment

• Death penalty – varies state by state

• Only used for 1st Degree Murder

• Constitutional – can appeal conviction

States with the Death Penalty (33)AlabamaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoDelawareFloridaGeorgiaIdaho

LouisianaMarylandMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNorth CarolinaOhio

ALSO- U.S. Gov't- U.S. Military

OklahomaOregon PennsylvaniaSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVirginiaWashingtonWyoming

IndianaKansasKentucky

Lethal Injection

Alabama, ArizonaArkansas, California Colorado, KansasDelaware, Florida Georgia, Idaho Illinois, Indiana

Kentucky, LouisianaMaryland, MississippiMissouri, MontanaNevada, New Hampshire New MexicoNorth Carolina Ohio

Oklahoma, OregonPennsylvania, South Carolina, South DakotaTennessee, Texas Utah, Virginia Washington, Wyoming Federal Government

Electrocution Lethal Gas Firing Squad

Alabama Arkansas Florida, IllinoisKentucky, NebraskaOklahoma, South Carolina Tennessee, Virginia

Arizona California Missouri Wyoming

Idaho Oklahoma Utah

HangingNew Hampshire Washington

Problems

• Unfair treatment of poor• Hiring a lawyer v. public defender

Group Activity5 Cases• One per group• Complete in notes:

–Short Summary– Issue presented in case–Court Ruling (And precedent if set)

Present information to class at end of block.