June 29, 1972 – The Ruling of Furman v. Georgia

June 29

Copy of the Seal of the United States Supreme Court

On July 29, 1972, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling in the case of Furman v. Georgia, which led to a temporary suspension of the death penalty. The Court determined that the death penalty had been applied inconsistently, violating constitutional amendments regarding cruel and unusual punishment, and was therefore unconstitutional. This ruling invalidated all existing death penalty policies at that time.

Furman v. Georgia consolidated three separate court cases and examined the decisions regarding the use of the death penalty for two rapists and a murderer. The Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 decision in favor of Furman, effectively halting the use of the death penalty. Each of the nine justices wrote individual opinions on the case and the broader issue of the death penalty, highlighting the decision’s divisiveness. A consistent theme in their opinions was the observation that the death penalty was often applied arbitrarily, disproportionately affecting individuals based on their race and socioeconomic status. The ruling impacted the sentencing of hundreds of inmates, which effectively spared them from execution. 

The impact of this court case was significant. It was the first time the Supreme Court invalidated all death penalty laws, requiring each state to respond to the ruling. In the aftermath, all states were mandated to suspend their death penalties to reassess their practices and procedures. The death penalty was later reinstated after the 1976 case, Gregg v. Georgia, which introduced revised procedures aimed at addressing the concerns raised about the death penalty in the earlier Furman v. Georgia case.