Home -> Law Blog Directory -> Criminal Law Blogs -> Harmful Error

Criminal Law

: Harmful Error

US Supreme Court issues decisions

Via Scotusblog: The United States Supreme Court issued opinions today. Kennedy v. Louisiana - addressing whether the Eighth Amendment prohibits states from imposing the death penalty for child rape, and, if not, whether Louisiana's statute fails to narrow the class of offenders eligible for the death penalty. The ruling below, which upheld the state law, is reversed and remanded. Justice Kennedy wrote the opinion. Justice Alito dissented, joined by the Chief Justice and Justices Scalia and Thomas. The majority holds that the death penalty is not an option for crimes that do not result in death. Giles v. California - addressing whether a criminal defendant automatically forfeited his right to exclude testimony of a witness he killed before trial, or whether the state was required to show he killed the witness specifically to prevent her from testifying...continue to full post

Full post as published by Harmful Error on June 25, 2008 (boomark / email).