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Christopher Simmons Case Study

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In 1993, Christopher Simmons, at the young age of 17 committed murder by throwing a woman off a bridge. This incident took place in Missouri, Simmons along with two other individuals decided to make a plan to commit burglary and murder. Christopher Simmons along with two younger friends, John Tessmer, and Charles Benjamin come up with the idea and constructed a plan to break into Shirley Crook’s residents and murder her. However, before the plan could be carried out John Tessner backed out on Simmons and Benjamin. The original plan to be carried out consisted of breaking into Crook’s residents, tying her up, before leaving with her and tossing her off a bridge. Unfortunately, Simmons and Benjamin went through with the plan, breaking into Mrs. …show more content…

All of these factors played a role for ineffective assistance of counsel considering it was never brought up at the sentencing phase, the motion was rejected by the court and Simmons returned with an appeal. This case worked its way up through the court system; the death sentences was still upheld, until the 2002 case Atkins v. Virginia was brought to light, the U.S Supreme Court ruled a mentally ill individual cannot receive the death penalty because it’s cruel and unusual punishment. Simmons used the case for his benefit stating Missouri was now in violation of the Eighth Amendment …show more content…

The court’s opinion on this case, overturning the death penalty, I personally agree with. This case addresses the Eighth Amendment, cruel and unusual punishment and sentencing a juvenile to the death penalty violates Simmons’s Eighth Amendment Right. Simmons being 17 years of age, impulsive, immaturity, behavior changes, alcohol and drug abuse, and bad home environment is crucial to his behavior. These facts all play a role in this case; however, were not addressed during the sentencing process. During closing arguments the defense harped on Simmons’s age; to remind the jurors that legislatures made laws that prohibited juveniles from drinking, serving on juries, even buying or renting R rated movies believing that individuals under a certain age simply are not responsible enough. In the eyes of the defense attorney this is a 17 year old juvenile with a troubling home life, greatly impacting his actions on the night he committed burglary, kidnapping, and murder

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