List of United States Supreme Court opinions involving capital punishment

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The U.S. Supreme Court has issued numerous rulings on the use of capital punishment (the death penalty). While some rulings applied very narrowly, perhaps to only one individual, other cases have had great influence over wide areas of procedure, eligible crimes, acceptable evidence and method of execution.

Contents

Eighth Amendment

Method of execution

Specific crimes

  • Coker v. Georgia , 433 U.S. 584 (1977) – The death penalty is unconstitutional for rape of an adult woman when the victim is not killed.
  • Enmund v. Florida , 458 U.S. 782 (1982) – The death penalty is unconstitutional for a person who is a minor participant in a felony and does not kill, attempt to kill, or intend to kill.
  • Tison v. Arizona , 481 U.S. 137 (1987) – Death penalty may be imposed on a felony-murder defendant who was a major participant in the underlying felony and exhibits extreme indifference to human life.
  • Sumner v. Shuman , 483 U.S. 66 (1987) – Mandatory death penalty for a prison inmate who is convicted of murder while serving a life sentence without possibility of parole is unconstitutional.
  • Kennedy v. Louisiana , 554 U.S. 407 (2008) – The death penalty is unconstitutional for child rape and other non-homicidal crimes against the person.

Age

Intellectual disability

Trial procedure (conviction)

Trial procedure (sentencing)

Other

Fifth Amendment

Double jeopardy

Sixth Amendment

Trial procedure (sentencing)

Other

Fourteenth Amendment

Due Process

Exculpatory evidence

Equal Protection

Habeas corpus

Summary reversal and vacatur

International law

Miscellaneous

Chronological listing

See also

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References