Supreme Court Cases Continued

Civics

Furman V Georgia 1972

• William Henry Furman convicted on Murder and Sentenced to Death – Supreme Court hears his and three other African American Death Penalty Cases

• Is the Death Penalty Cruel and Unusual?– Poor and Minorities more routinely receive the death

penalty– Ga. Argues that it is permitted under due process

• Supreme Court rules 5-4 death penalty is unconstitutional the way the states were applying it.

Gregg v GA 1976

• Troy Gregg robs and kills two men• GA allowed Jury to deliberate on the Death

Penalty as long as they felt it met Aggravating circumstances.

• Gregg Sentenced to death and supreme court upholds the sentence

Bethel School District v Fraser 1986

• Student gives a nomination speech at his school to 600 students and makes lewd sexual comments.

• Student is suspended and claims that his civil rights were violated.

• Court upholds the suspension.• Lewd and Vulgar Speech is not protected at

school.

Gibbons v Ogden 1984

• New York grants Aaron Ogden a monopoly to operate its steam boats in NY Waters

• Thomas Gibbons also competed with Ogden and had a Federal Coasting license

• Ogden sues Gibbons to make him stop using shared Ny waters.

• Gibbons appeals to the Supreme Court claiming only Federal Government has a right to regulate interstate commerce

• Commerce Clause• Supreme Court rules that Federal government has

Supremacy over interstate commerce.

Mapp V. Ohio 1961

• Police enter Dollree Mapps’ home without a proper search warrant

• Mapp is arrested for possession of obscene materials

• Convicted, but appeals her case to the Supreme Court ~ 4th Amendment Violated

• Illegally obtained evidence can not be used in court of law.