Court to Weigh Death for Juvenile Murderers

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

"should Simmons, who was 17 at the time of the 1993 killing, pay the ultimate penalty? The Supreme Court is to take up that question Wednesday, when it hears arguments about whether the government can execute Simmons and others who were 16 or 17 when they kill.

The issue has broad ramifications, not only for Simmons, now 28, and for the 71 Death Row inmates who committed murder as teens, but because it again focuses the court on whether to curtail the use of the death penalty. "

""In recent years, the court has been concerned about the arbitrariness of the way the death penalty is imposed," said Steven Drizin, a law professor at Northwestern University who has urged the court to stop the execution of those who killed when they were juveniles. "It's a court that's more open-minded to the problems that exist with death penalty practice.""

"Two years ago, the court said the Constitution prohibits the execution of mentally retarded people. In that case, it said the nation had reached a consensus that such executions violate standards of decency and amount to cruel and unusual punishment, in violation of the 8th Amendment.

Lawyers in Simmons' case say the nation has reached a similar consensus on the execution of juveniles since the court last considered the issue in 1989 and refused to prohibit it.

The court had ruled the year before that states could not execute those younger than 16 when they commit murder, but concluded there was no national consensus against executing juveniles who are 16 or 17. "









http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=2027&ncid=2027&e=1&u=/chitribts/20041011/ts_chicagotrib/courttoweighdeathforjuvenilemurderers

[Journeyman]

1. The woman who raised me. . .

was dragged from her car at an intersection, thrown to the ground, and shot twice in the left eye during a robbery that netted the perps some 38 cents. The gunman was 14 years old, his partner 16. The gunman got the longer sentence. . . each sentenced to custody until they were 25 (however, both were released early).

I've believed since then that when a "child" picks up a weapon and uses it in anger, they give up all claims to childhood and should be treated as adults.

[reprobate]

2. I understand your pain and anger, so I won't argue.

Besides which, I have long believed that we have raised at least one generation of savages. Thanks to the media and its concentration on violence, the results of that violence simply does not reach these uncivilized animals.

I think we are reaping the whirlwind now as we definatley have the most violent society in the world and its just getting worse. Perhaps one day the world will declare us a dangerous nation and impose a permanent "do not visit" on us.

[Kelvin Mace]

3. If we are going to try "children" as adults...

then that should become the drinking-draft-voting age.

I understand your feelings and can sympathise, but killing to avenge killing is still wrong.

David Allen
www.thoughtcrimes.org
Distrusting the Government Since 1984

[Journeyman]

4. self deleted