Case Description

Case #1: Roper v. Simmons



In 1993, 17-year-old Christopher Simmons and his friend committed the burglary and murder of Shirley Crooks. After discovering overwhelming evidence in favor of and Simmons’ confession to the murder, the jury and court imposed a death sentence. However, after Simmons filed a petition, the Supreme Court of the United States decided that it is unconstitutional to impose capital punishment for crimes committed while under the age of 18, overturning the previous Standford v. Kentucky which protected offenders under the age of 16 from the death penalty. Instead, Simmons was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole.