History of capital punishment in the United States.

You are a paralegal assisting an attorney who is representing an individual who has been convicted of a murder during a home invasion and who was sentenced in state court to be executed. You are assisting with research for an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. Provide the following information.

1. A brief history of capital punishment in the United States. Include case law.
2. An explanation of the constitutional ban on “cruel and unusual punishment,” including the four primary dimensions as interpreted by the Court.
3. Discuss an example you found interesting of a right asserted by inmates under the Eighth Amendment’s Cruel and Unusual Punishment Clause and the outcome.

Sample Solution