A boy, age twelve, had friends who convinced him to carry a gun to a robbery. No one was injured in the robbery, and the boy never used the weapon However, the boy was caught and charged with a crime. At trial, a judge sentences the boy to life in prison. How can the boy's counsel use the Eighth Amendment support his case?Give your response in at least two complete sentences.

Question

A boy, age twelve, had friends who convinced him to carry a gun to a robbery. No one was injured in the robbery, and the boy never used the weapon However, the boy was caught and charged with a crime. At trial, a judge sentences the boy to life in prison. How can the boy's counsel use the Eighth Amendment support his case?Give your response in at least two complete sentences.

Answer 1

The boy's counsel can argue that sentencing a twelve-year-old to life in prison without the possibility of parole for a non-violent crime violates the Eighth Amendment prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. They can emphasize the disproportionate nature of the punishment given the defendant's age, the absence of harm caused during the robbery, and the potential for rehabilitation.

Question

Answer

Answer