Court Case Of Roper Vs Simmons

In the case Roper v. Simmons three friends Christopher Simmons 17, Charles Benjamin 15, and John Tessmer 16 decided to rob Shirley Crook 46 on September 9, 1993. As the time came, two of the three decided to go through with the robbery but John Tessmer decided that this was not for him and backed out. After that moment Christopher Simmons and Charles Benjamin went through with the crime. Then at 2 am the two boys Christopher Simmons and Charles Benjamin met up to commit the crime. They then went into the home Shirley Crook was currently residing in. They entered the house by opening a window, as they reached trough and unlocked the back door of her house. As Simmons entered the house he turned on the lights on the home, thus waking Shirley. She asked who was in the home, Simmons then entered her room. He recognized her from a previous car crash that the two had been in with each other. Simmons grabbed Shirley and duct taped her eyes, mouth, and hands. Once he completed the task he put her in a van and drove to a park. As they drove to the park they continued to wrap her with tape

The article goes on to say that over 3,000 people are in prison for a crime they committed as a minor. They say it is done because they are not allowed to give minors the death penalty any longer. They say that for a minor life in prison is the equivalent to the death penalty. It is then brought about that some of these children are under the of 13. The author of the goes on to say that the courts realize that the children doing these crimes are not fully mature and understanding of their crime. Ans since they can’t think like an adult they shouldn’t be sentenced like one. They also feel that maybe a full life sentence is to much as well. Since some states removed the death penalty and that the life sentence is the highest punishment receivable, they couldn’t be allowed to receive