Furman v. Georgia is a historic case that had a significant impact on the United States criminal justice system. The case dates back to 1972 when the Supreme Court of the United States held that the death penalty violated the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments, finding the death penalty to be unconstitutional and a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution.
This landmark decision significantly impacted the criminal justice system and its interpretation of capital punishment. The court ruled that by randomly selecting people to be eligible for the death penalty, the state was acting illegally and was not providing equal protection for all of its citizens. This ruling had a far-reaching impact on state governments and their ability to carry out the death penalty.
The Impact of the Case Today
Since 1972, the case has been cited in many other cases involving capital punishment and is often seen as the basis for challenging the constitutionality of the death penalty. Today, the death penalty is still legal and enforced in some states, though it is much more limited than it was prior to the court’s ruling. Those convicted of certain types of capital offenses are still subject to the death penalty in some states, though many have since adopted new policies to ensure that the penalty is applied fairly.
Still, the ruling in Furman v. Georgia has had a lasting impact on the criminal justice system in the United States. It has served to limit the arbitrary application of the death penalty and has ensured that the penalty is applied fairly. It has also served as a reminder that the court must take into account the rights of those who may be subject to capital punishment.