The People v. Anderson

The People v. Anderson was a 1972 California Supreme Court case that addressed the constitutionality of the death penalty. The defendant, William Anderson, was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. The Court reviewed whether the death penalty, as it was applied, complied with the Eighth Amendment's prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment. The Court ultimately ruled that California's existing death penalty statute was unconstitutional because it allowed for arbitrary and capricious sentencing. The decision led to a temporary halt on executions in California, urging the state to revise its laws to ensure fair and consistent application of the death penalty.