Show NEW NEVI ERA IN ft CRIMINAL PENOLOGY COMMENCES Supreme Court in De Decision Decision Decision Liberates Victim of Cruel and Unusual Punishment Washington May Ma S Criminal law lawyers lawyers lawyers throughout the country countr are agitated ed over the action of the supreme court of the United States in inaugurating ing what is designated as a new era eraIn erain erain In the punishment of ot that of requiring punishment to be proportionate proportionate proportionate to the offense The court last Monday for the first time in its history set at liberty a person convicted of an offense because there had been inflicted upon him a cruel and unusual punishment Rights declared in words said Justice McKenna might be lost In reality The decision will apply to territories territories ries rica and the District of Columbia The court has determined that the tile eighth amendment is not applicable to the states and hence the states will wilt not be compelled to follow the new prin principles principles principles Most of the states however have hae provisions in their constitution simi similar similar lar lai to the eighth amendment A flood of applications to release pris prisoners prisoners sent to the penitentiary by the federal courts on the ground that the punishment was not proportionate to the offense may result I i |