People v. Anderson

People v. Anderson was a landmark California Supreme Court case in 1972 that addressed the constitutionality of the death penalty. The Court ruled that the existing death penalty law was being applied in a way that violated the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition on cruel and unusual punishments. As a result, it resulted in the temporary abolition of the death penalty in California. The decision emphasized that death sentences must be imposed fairly and consistently, ensuring protections against arbitrary or discriminatory punishment. This case significantly influenced debates and reforms concerning capital punishment in the United States.