Loren Gallimore
Background
Daryl Renard Atkins, the plaintiff, went against
the defendant, the state of Virginia, as he was
convicted of abduction, robbery, and capital murder.
Atkins’ trial was heard by the court in York
County, VA, then by the Virginia Supreme Court, and
finally by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Point of Law

The 8th Amendment states that “excessive
bail shall not be required, nor excessive
fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual
punishments inflicted.”

The question was, was Atkins’ death
sentence too harsh for his condition?
Daryl Atkins
Original Jurisdiction

York County, VA was the first to hear this
case

After hearing the case, the jury
sentenced Atkins to death
Appeals Court

The Virginia Supreme Court took over
the Atkins v Virginia case after York
County

The jury again sentenced him to death
U.S. Supreme Court

The U.S. Supreme Court finally had to
take over this case

According to the 8th Amendment, it is
cruel and unusual punishment to
execute a person that is mentally
impaired.
Decision
Final Decision : 6-3
Majority Decision: Six of the judges
agreed that Atkins should not be
sentenced to death

Dissenting Opinion: Three judges
were against Atkins being exempted of the
death penalty
Impact

Although the 8th Amendment can protect
people from excessive punishment, it
can also have a downfall

In the case of Atkins v Virginia, a person
convicted of murder could pretend to be
mentally ill to be exempt of the death
sentence
Justice John Paul Stevens
Majority Decision
Justice William H. Rehnquist
Dissenting Opinion
Works Cited
<http://murderpedia.org/male.A/images/atkins_daryl
/atkins000.jpg>
<http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/
e3/US_Supreme_Court_Justice_John_Paul_Steven
s_-_1976_official_portrait.jpg>
<http://supremecourtopinions.wustl.edu/application/
assets/images/justice_william_h_rehnquist.jpg>