Facts: George Ewing walked into a pro shop of a Los Angeles County golf course where he concealed and stole three golf clubs priced at $399 a piece. Aside from this incident, Ewing had several prior convictions, four of which were serious, violent, and/or felonious. In this case, Ewing was convicted of felony grand theft and sentenced to 25 years to life under California’s three-strike law.
Procedural History: the California Court of Appeal and the Second Appellate District affirmed the trial court’s ruling. The State Supreme Court denied review, and the United States Supreme Court granted certiorari, as well as upheld the decisions of the lower courts.
Issue: Under the Eighth Amendment,