Question 1

What adjectives are used for evoking challenges of being excessively cruel and unusual?

Accepted Answer

A)   Arbitrary
B)   Wanton
C)   Capricious
D)   All of the above D

Question 2

The 30-year precedent that the death penalty be reserved only for murder has never been challenged.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False  False

Question 3

Although refraining from a determination of whether particular methods might violate the Eighth Amendment, the Court did state that such punishments as "burning at the stake, crucifixion, breaking on the wheel, or the like" are cruel and unusual.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False  True

Question 4

Questions pertaining to the appropriate role of medical professionals (in one sense being necessary to avoid faulty application; in another sense being controversial, given the ethical standards of the medical professions) have recently been raised.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

As a result of the International Court of Justice's finding that the United States had violated the Vienna Convention, in 2008 the U.S. Supreme Court decided the case of:

Accepted Answer

A)   Medellin v. Texas
B)   In re Marshall
C)   Pulley v. Harris
D)   None of the above

Question 6

According to the text, although some states today have statutes allowing the death penalty for crimes other than murder, no executions have been carried out for such crimes since the death penalty was reinstated.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 7

Some early death penalty cases challenged firing squads, electrocution, and hanging as violating the Eighth Amendment's ban on cruel and unusual punishment.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

Recent data reveal that when given the alternative of LWOP, support for the death penalty drops below 50%.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 9

In Weems v. United States, the Supreme Court suggested that what constitutes _____________ evolves as public opinion becomes enlightened by a humane justice.

Accepted Answer

A)   Cruel and unusual punishment
B)   A taboo in contemporary society
C)   A proper punishment
D)   None of the above

Question 10

The Supreme Court ruled that the death penalty was disproportionate and thus violated the Eighth Amendment's prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment for the crimes of:

Accepted Answer

A)   Rape
B)   Kidnapping
C)   Murder
D)   a and b only

Question 11

The Court has upheld which of the following as permissible methods of execution in the United States?

Accepted Answer

A)   Electrocution
B)   Hanging
C)   Shooting
D)   All of the above

Question 12

What are the two primary factors in the contemporary assessment of "evolving standards of decency"?

Accepted Answer

A)   Public opinion
B)   International law
C)   Both and b
D)   None of the above

Question 13

In Miranda v, Arizona, lethal injection was challenged on the grounds that Arizona's current lethal injection drug, obtained from a foreign source, was not FDA approved and would likely cause unnecessary pain and suffering.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 14

Given the growing wave of challenges to lethal injection, several states began to change their
Protocols over the past several years from the historically predominant___________ protocol to a ____________ protocol.

Accepted Answer

A)   Three-drug; one-drug
B)   One-drug; two-drug
C)   Two-drug; three-drug
D)   One-drug; three-drug

Question 15

Which cases' decision comprised seven different opinions, and brought the three-drug lethal injection under question?

Accepted Answer

A)   Brewer v. Landrigan
B)   Tison v. Arizona
C)   Baze v. Rees
D)   Bradshaw v. Richey

Question 16

In Louisiana ex rel. Francis v. Resweber (1947), after the first attempt at electrocution did not kill the condemned Francis, his execution was postponed to a later date. The Supreme Court declared that this was a violation of the Eighth Amendment.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

According to the text, although the Supreme Court has consistently declared lethal injection constitutionally permissible, challenges abound, and the future of lethal injection (and perhaps the death penalty) is tenuous.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

What case in 1996 held that lethal gas was an unconstitutional method of execution?

Accepted Answer

A)   Enmund v. Florida
B)   Fierro v. Gomez
C)   Tison v. Arizona
D)   Wilkerson v. Utah

Question 19

In spite of the role of public opinion in Eighth Amendment jurisprudence, the Supreme Court has typically rejected public opinion polls as the actual benchmarks for a national consensus on the death penalty.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Exam 11: Evolving Standards of Decency and the Eighth Amendments Ban on Cruel and Unusual Punishment

What adjectives are used for evoking challenges of being excessively cruel and unusual?

The 30-year precedent that the death penalty be reserved only for murder has never been challenged.

Although refraining from a determination of whether particular methods might violate the Eighth Amendment, the Court did state that such punishments as "burning at the stake, crucifixion, breaking on the wheel, or the like" are cruel and unusual.

Questions pertaining to the appropriate role of medical professionals (in one sense being necessary to avoid faulty application; in another sense being controversial, given the ethical standards of the medical professions) have recently been raised.

As a result of the International Court of Justice's finding that the United States had violated the Vienna Convention, in 2008 the U.S. Supreme Court decided the case of:

According to the text, although some states today have statutes allowing the death penalty for crimes other than murder, no executions have been carried out for such crimes since the death penalty was reinstated.

Some early death penalty cases challenged firing squads, electrocution, and hanging as violating the Eighth Amendment's ban on cruel and unusual punishment.

Recent data reveal that when given the alternative of LWOP, support for the death penalty drops below 50%.

In Weems v. United States, the Supreme Court suggested that what constitutes _____________ evolves as public opinion becomes enlightened by a humane justice.

The Supreme Court ruled that the death penalty was disproportionate and thus violated the Eighth Amendment's prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment for the crimes of:

The Court has upheld which of the following as permissible methods of execution in the United States?

What are the two primary factors in the contemporary assessment of "evolving standards of decency"?

In Miranda v, Arizona, lethal injection was challenged on the grounds that Arizona's current lethal injection drug, obtained from a foreign source, was not FDA approved and would likely cause unnecessary pain and suffering.

Given the growing wave of challenges to lethal injection, several states began to change their Protocols over the past several years from the historically predominant_ protocol to a __ protocol.

Which cases' decision comprised seven different opinions, and brought the three-drug lethal injection under question?

In Louisiana ex rel. Francis v. Resweber (1947), after the first attempt at electrocution did not kill the condemned Francis, his execution was postponed to a later date. The Supreme Court declared that this was a violation of the Eighth Amendment.

According to the text, although the Supreme Court has consistently declared lethal injection constitutionally permissible, challenges abound, and the future of lethal injection (and perhaps the death penalty) is tenuous.

What case in 1996 held that lethal gas was an unconstitutional method of execution?

In spite of the role of public opinion in Eighth Amendment jurisprudence, the Supreme Court has typically rejected public opinion polls as the actual benchmarks for a national consensus on the death penalty.

Exam 11: Evolving Standards of Decency and the Eighth Amendments Ban on Cruel and Unusual Punishment

What adjectives are used for evoking challenges of being excessively cruel and unusual?

The 30-year precedent that the death penalty be reserved only for murder has never been challenged.

Although refraining from a determination of whether particular methods might violate the Eighth Amendment, the Court did state that such punishments as "burning at the stake, crucifixion, breaking on the wheel, or the like" are cruel and unusual.

Questions pertaining to the appropriate role of medical professionals (in one sense being necessary to avoid faulty application; in another sense being controversial, given the ethical standards of the medical professions) have recently been raised.

As a result of the International Court of Justice's finding that the United States had violated the Vienna Convention, in 2008 the U.S. Supreme Court decided the case of:

According to the text, although some states today have statutes allowing the death penalty for crimes other than murder, no executions have been carried out for such crimes since the death penalty was reinstated.

Some early death penalty cases challenged firing squads, electrocution, and hanging as violating the Eighth Amendment's ban on cruel and unusual punishment.

Recent data reveal that when given the alternative of LWOP, support for the death penalty drops below 50%.

In Weems v. United States, the Supreme Court suggested that what constitutes _____________ evolves as public opinion becomes enlightened by a humane justice.

The Supreme Court ruled that the death penalty was disproportionate and thus violated the Eighth Amendment's prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment for the crimes of:

The Court has upheld which of the following as permissible methods of execution in the United States?

What are the two primary factors in the contemporary assessment of "evolving standards of decency"?

In Miranda v, Arizona, lethal injection was challenged on the grounds that Arizona's current lethal injection drug, obtained from a foreign source, was not FDA approved and would likely cause unnecessary pain and suffering.

Given the growing wave of challenges to lethal injection, several states began to change their Protocols over the past several years from the historically predominant___________ protocol to a ____________ protocol.

Which cases' decision comprised seven different opinions, and brought the three-drug lethal injection under question?

In Louisiana ex rel. Francis v. Resweber (1947), after the first attempt at electrocution did not kill the condemned Francis, his execution was postponed to a later date. The Supreme Court declared that this was a violation of the Eighth Amendment.

According to the text, although the Supreme Court has consistently declared lethal injection constitutionally permissible, challenges abound, and the future of lethal injection (and perhaps the death penalty) is tenuous.

What case in 1996 held that lethal gas was an unconstitutional method of execution?

In spite of the role of public opinion in Eighth Amendment jurisprudence, the Supreme Court has typically rejected public opinion polls as the actual benchmarks for a national consensus on the death penalty.

Given the growing wave of challenges to lethal injection, several states began to change their Protocols over the past several years from the historically predominant_ protocol to a __ protocol.