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This riveting and enlightening narrative unfolds on the night of
August 16, 1996, with the brutal and senseless murder of Eric
Nesbitt, a young man stationed at Langley Air Force Base, at the
hands of 18-year-old Daryl Atkins. Over the course of more than a
decade, Atkins's case has bounced between the lowest and the
highest levels of the judicial system. Found guilty and then
sentenced to death in 1998 for Nesbitt's murder, the Atkins case
was then taken up in 2002 by the U.S. Supreme Court. The issue
before the justices: given Daryl Atkins's mental retardation, would
his execution constitute cruel and unusual punishment, in violation
of the Eighth Amendment? A 6-3 vote said yes. Daryl Atkins's
situation was far from being resolved though. Prosecutors claimed
that Atkins failed to meet the statutory definition of mental
retardation and reinstituted procedures to carry out his death
sentence. Back in circuit court, the jury returned its verdict:
Daryl Atkins was not retarded. Atkins's attorneys promptly filed a
notice of appeal, and the case continues today. Drawing on
interviews with key participants; direct observation of the
hearings; and close examination of court documents, transcripts,
and press accounts, Thomas G. Walker provides readers with a rare
view of the entire judicial process. Never losing sight of the
stakes in a death penalty case, he explains each step in Atkins's
legal journey from the interactions of local law enforcement, to
the decision-making process of the state prosecutor, to the Supreme
Court's ruling, and beyond. Walker sheds light on how legal
institutions and procedures work in real life-and how they are all
interrelated-to help students better understand constitutional
issues, the courts, and the criminal justice system. Throughout,
Walker also addresses how disability, race, and other key
demographic and social issues affect the case and society's views
on the death penalty.
The Supreme Court Compendium is the only reference that presents
historical and statistical information on every important aspect of
the U.S. Supreme Court, including its history, development as an
institution, the justices backgrounds, nominations, and
confirmations, and the Court's relationship with the public and
other governmental and judicial bodies. The newest edition of this
comprehensive reference includes important new perspective on the
legacy of the Rehnquist court. Readers will also find: An
institutional overview of the Court's history including a
chronology of important events from 1787-2006, important
Congressional legislation relating to the Supreme Court, internet
sites relating to law and courts, and much more Background
information on all the justices such as family backgrounds,
childhood environments, marital status, educational and employment
histories, political experiences and trends in voting agreement The
political and legal environment of the Court is presented including
the success rate of the United States as a party before the Supreme
Court, the rates of success of various administrative agencies, and
state participation in court litigation with success rates This new
edition includes more than 180 tables and charts and is updated to
cover Supreme Court events through the 2005-2006 term. This
reference is an invaluable resource to judicial scholars, students,
and those interested in the history of the Supreme Court.
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