Which case halted the implementation of the death penalty because its application was viewed as arbitrary, capricious, and discriminatory?

Which case halted the implementation of the death penalty because its application was viewed as arbitrary, capricious, and discriminatory?

• A. Tennessee v. Garner
• B. Hudson v. Michigan
• C. Furman v. Georgia
• D. Whren v. U.S.

Answer: (C)

The main idea is that the death penalty was halted because its use could be arbitrary, capricious, and discriminatory, violating how the punishment should be applied fairly. In Furman v. Georgia, the Supreme Court ruled that, as administered under the existing statutes, the death penalty produced inconsistent results and allowed bias to shape who dies. This meant the punishment was unconstitutional in practice, so the decision effectively paused capital punishment across the states and forced changes to make its application more uniform. States then had to revise statutes to include guided discretion with clearly defined aggravating and mitigating factors, ensuring a more consistent standard for imposing death sentences. Later, Gregg v. Georgia upheld those revised procedures, but Furman’s ruling is the reason the death penalty implementation was halted in the first place. The other cases focus on police conduct and searches, not on capital punishment, so they address different issues.

The main idea is that the death penalty was halted because its use could be arbitrary, capricious, and discriminatory, violating how the punishment should be applied fairly. In Furman v. Georgia, the Supreme Court ruled that, as administered under the existing statutes, the death penalty produced inconsistent results and allowed bias to shape who dies. This meant the punishment was unconstitutional in practice, so the decision effectively paused capital punishment across the states and forced changes to make its application more uniform. States then had to revise statutes to include guided discretion with clearly defined aggravating and mitigating factors, ensuring a more consistent standard for imposing death sentences. Later, Gregg v. Georgia upheld those revised procedures, but Furman’s ruling is the reason the death penalty implementation was halted in the first place. The other cases focus on police conduct and searches, not on capital punishment, so they address different issues.