Genesis Gonzalez
Professor Aiello
October 20, 2015
Supreme Court Case Review
Over a decade ago a crime was committed that would change the way minors are charged for heinous crimes. In 1993, at the age of seventeen, Christopher Simmons was charged with burglary, kidnapping, stealing, and murder all in the first degree at the state level. He had broken into and entered a woman's home, who he recognized from a previous encounter with the woman. Once realizing he had recognized her from a previous car accident, he decided that he would have to kill her. He then tied up his victim with duct tape and cables and threw her off a bridge. Several days later fisherman had seen her body floating in the river. Afterward, Simmons was going around …show more content…
When Simmons committed the crime he was seventeen but when he was prosecuted he had already turned eighteen so he was tried as an adult. At State level Simmons was prosecuted, charged with burglary, kidnapping, stealing, and murder all in the first degree.At trial the State had evidence of Simmons' confession and the video reenactment of the crime, and the testimony that Simmons bragged about the crime to everyone in town. Afterward, the trial continued to the penalty phase, where Simmons was sentenced to death. Afterward, Simmons appealed his conviction, and filed a direct appeal and petition to both state and federal postconviction relief. His direct appeal and petition were rejected by both state and federal postconviction relief. After being rejected he filed a new petition for state postconviction relief, saying that both the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments forbid the death penalty on offenders convicted of a crime they committed when they were under the age of eighteen. The Supreme Court agreed with Simmons and sentenced him to life in prison without eligibility to be released. The Simmons vs Roper case ruled the decision that the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments forbid the death penalty on
Professor Aiello
October 20, 2015
Supreme Court Case Review
Over a decade ago a crime was committed that would change the way minors are charged for heinous crimes. In 1993, at the age of seventeen, Christopher Simmons was charged with burglary, kidnapping, stealing, and murder all in the first degree at the state level. He had broken into and entered a woman's home, who he recognized from a previous encounter with the woman. Once realizing he had recognized her from a previous car accident, he decided that he would have to kill her. He then tied up his victim with duct tape and cables and threw her off a bridge. Several days later fisherman had seen her body floating in the river. Afterward, Simmons was going around …show more content…
When Simmons committed the crime he was seventeen but when he was prosecuted he had already turned eighteen so he was tried as an adult. At State level Simmons was prosecuted, charged with burglary, kidnapping, stealing, and murder all in the first degree.At trial the State had evidence of Simmons' confession and the video reenactment of the crime, and the testimony that Simmons bragged about the crime to everyone in town. Afterward, the trial continued to the penalty phase, where Simmons was sentenced to death. Afterward, Simmons appealed his conviction, and filed a direct appeal and petition to both state and federal postconviction relief. His direct appeal and petition were rejected by both state and federal postconviction relief. After being rejected he filed a new petition for state postconviction relief, saying that both the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments forbid the death penalty on offenders convicted of a crime they committed when they were under the age of eighteen. The Supreme Court agreed with Simmons and sentenced him to life in prison without eligibility to be released. The Simmons vs Roper case ruled the decision that the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments forbid the death penalty on