Gregg v. Georgia 1976
Is the death penalty always cruel and unusual punishment?
428 U.S. 153 (1976)Criminal justice
- The question
- Is the death penalty always cruel and unusual punishment?
- What the Court held
- No. Capital punishment is permitted under statutes that guide the sentencer’s discretion.
- The vote
- 7–2
- Read the opinion
- 428 U.S. 153 (1976), full text
This page summarizes the Court’s judgment in neutral terms. The opinion, concurrences and dissents are the authority; read them for the reasoning.