S2 Ep. 12 - Roper v. Simmons (2005)

Does the "Cruel and Unusual Punishment" Clause of the Eighth Amendment Bar the Imposition of the Death Penalty on Juveniles? This episode presents an "issue brief" exploring the constitutionality of the death penalty for juveniles under the Eighth Amendment's prohibition of "cruel and unusual punishment." Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy holds that the Constitution prohibits the execution of a person who was under the age of 18 at the time of the offense. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia believes that the Constitution does not preclude the execution of a juvenile.