|
|
Article: Let punishment fit crime.(Editorials)(court rules death for child rape unconstitutional)(Editorial)
- Article from:
- The Register Guard (Eugene, OR)
- Article date:
- June 30, 2008
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2008 The Register Guard. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
Byline: The Register-Guard
Lex talionis - the law of "measure for measure" - was the cornerstone of ancient legal systems, and the idea that punishment should be proportional to the severity of the crime remains a guiding principle of this nation's legal system.
Justice is not served in the absence of proportionality, and American society's anger and revulsion over heinous crimes must be tempered with a constitutional commitment to decency and restraint.
The U.S. Supreme Court wisely ruled last Wednesday that the death penalty is disproportionate punishment for the rape of a child. In a 5-4 decision, the court overturned the death sentence of ...