cruel and unusual punishment
noun
Examples of cruel and unusual punishment in a Sentence
Claire Thornton, USA TODAY, 28 June 2024
The main question before the court was whether broad camping bans aimed at homeless people in Grants Pass, Oregon, a city of 39,000 with about 600 homeless people, amounted to cruel and unusual punishment prohibited by the Eighth Amendment.
—Ethan Varian, The Mercury News, 28 June 2024
In a series of rulings, the court has held that cities violate the 8th Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment when police arrest or fine people who have no access to shelter.
—Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2024
In 2018, three homeless people in Grants Pass filed a lawsuit against the city on behalf of its homeless population, alleging that its rules violate the Eighth Amendment's prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment.
—Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 28 June 2024
In a 6-3 decision written by Justice Neil Gorsuch, the Supreme Court ruled that cities enforcing anti-camping bans, even if homeless people have no other place to go, does not violate the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment.
—Rachel M. Cohen, Vox, 28 June 2024
Making a crime out of involuntary homelessness was, that court ruled, unconstitutionally cruel and unusual punishment.
—Robert M. Hayes, New York Daily News, 19 June 2024
Raven Anderson believes her son suffered cruel and unusual punishment as his physical and mental health quickly deteriorated.
—Drake Bentley, Journal Sentinel, 12 June 2024
But in its Wednesday ruling, the 6th Circuit said Finley can proceed with his cruel and unusual punishment claim.
—Paul Egan, Detroit Free Press, 23 May 2024
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“Cruel and unusual punishment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cruel%20and%20unusual%20punishment. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
cruel and unusual punishment
nounU.S. Constitution amend. VIIINote: A cruel and unusual punishment is essentially one that the courts consider to violate the Eighth Amendment based on a variety of criteria. The interpretation of what constitutes cruel and unusual punishment has changed over time and has varied from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Most forms of corporal punishment formerly used at common law have been found to be cruel and unusual punishments.
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