Unit 1

Cruel and unusual punishment to me is one of the most important amendments that we have in the United States today. The definition of cruel and unusual punishment is that excessive bail should not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishment inflicted. This amendment is number eight on the list of constitutional rights, and is very important when it comes to our government and law enforcement today. There are many cases that have involved the definition of this amendment and many are still going through trial today.
This amendment is important to me because it protects all the citizens of the United States from being treated unfairly. Everyone who is a citizen has a right to fair trial and if they are not given that right then it goes against our constitutional rights as humans living in America.   In a case court Frances v. Resweber the court considers whether a state can put a condemned man on a electric chair a second time. By a 5 to 4 vote the state allowed the second execution to happen, to the court two jolts of electricity weeks apart did not reach the definition of cruel and unusual punishment.
Excessive bail is defined as an amount of bail ordered and posted by an accused defendant which is more than necessary, particularly in relation to a minor crime. If excessive bail is claimed, the defendant can make a motion for reduction of bail. This is very important to America because without this right bail could be very expensive to certain types of people. For example a celebrity can get bail for $20,000 and it would be pocket change for them, but for a lower class citizen that money could be way more than they could ever afford.