"The Supreme Court abolished capital punishment for juvenile offenders (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A62584-2005Mar1.html) yesterday, ruling 5 to 4 that it is unconstitutional to sentence anyone to death for a crime he or she committed while younger than 18.

In concluding that the death penalty for minors is cruel and unusual punishment, the court cited a "national consensus" against the practice, along with medical and social-science evidence that teenagers are too immature to be held accountable for their crimes to the same extent as adults.

By far the largest impact of yesterday's ruling will be felt in Texas, where there are 29 juvenile offenders awaiting execution, and Alabama, where there are 14. No other state has more than five."

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Tooooooooooo much science (http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/article.php?scid=27&did=977), for NeoCon-neandrathals!! :@@: