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Gregg V. Georgia Supreme Court Case Analysis

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200 years into this magnificent nation, America found itself dealing with many political and social controversies, but in the midst of all the madness, one of the most successful companies in the history of the world was founded. 1976 was a defining year for America as the country looked onward to its next century. Apple began to define what it meant to be a computer, the Supreme Court defined the legality of the death penalty, and Escambia High School defined their stance on racial tensions plaguing the town. 1976 was an unforgettable year in America and its significance to the history of our nation is undeniable. From a garage, a technological empire was created by the ingenuity of two visionaries, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. Jobs and …show more content…

Georgia, was being battled in the Supreme Court. Troy Leon Gregg was charged with the armed burglary and homicide of two men and found guilty by the Georgia Supreme Court. The Georgia court ruled Gregg be put to death for his crimes against humanity. Gregg’s lawyers appealed this ruling and it became the first death sentence case accepted by the Supreme Court. Gregg argued that the death penalty was unconstitutional under the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments of the Constitution, which states cruel and unusual punishment is unlawful (“Gregg v. Georgia”, Capital Punishment). Georgia held its position that the death penalty is not an infringement of the Constitution unless the punishment is unreasonable (“Gregg v. Georgia”, Casebriefs). The Supreme Court voted to uphold Georgia’s decision, stating that the death penalty is not always constitutional when a person has been convicted of intentionally killing another person (“Gregg v. Georgia”, Oyez). However, not all of the justices agreed with this decision with two justices dissenting. Justice Thurgood Marshall objected the Court’s ruling stating that if Americans were more knowledgeable, they would conclude the death penalty as unbefitting to the situation. Justice William Brennan dissented on moral grounds, saying the death penalty is intolerable (“Gregg v. Georgia”, Casebriefs). This landmark Supreme Court case clarified what is considered cruel and unusual punishment for many future verdicts to

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