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Roper V. Simmons Case Study

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There have been numerous influential laws and Supreme Court decisions during the 2000s. One such landmark decision is the Supreme Court case Roper v. Simmons, which dealt with the issue of the capital punishment of juveniles. Roper v. Simmons is an intricate case with multiple aspects regarding the details of the case, the context of its passage, and the implications of the case.
Roper v. Simmons became a Supreme Court case due to the eminent execution of Christopher Simmons who murdered Shirley Crook when he was just seventeen years old. Along with a friend, he aggressively killed Crook, and one week later confessed to the homicide (“The Debate” 104). Since the age to be tried as a child ends at sixteen in Missouri, the state tried Roper as an adult and immediately suggested the death penalty (Gretey 572). A state jury found Simmons guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced him to death despite the fact that he was a minor at the time. Simmons case then continued through the court system due to his claim of consensus against the execution of minors. The Missouri Supreme Court then resentenced Simmons to life in prison (“The Debate” 104-105). On March 1, 2005 …show more content…

Simmons effectively affects the juvenile population and forbids state and federal governments from sentencing any offender who commits a crime under the age of eighteen to death. The death penalty in the case of juveniles is considered unconstitutional as it violates the Eight Amendment’s ban on cruel or unusual punishment (Gretey 565). This decision was arrived at due to scientific evidence that psychologically differentiates between juveniles and adults. Major differences between the age groups affirm that a minor should not be held to the same standards as an adult regarding punishment for crimes. The court concluded that the three crucial differences in maturity, predisposition to influences, and character traits between adults and children affect their accountability for crimes (O’Neill

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