The Eighth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution provides which right(s)?

The Eighth Amendment (Amendment VIII) to the United States Constitution is the part of the United States Bill of Rights (ratified December 15, 1791) prohibiting the federal government from imposing excessive bail, excessive fines, or cruel and unusual punishment. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that this amendment's Cruel and Unusual Punishment Clause also applies to the states. The phrases in this amendment originated in the English Bill of Rights of 1689.

TEXT: "Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted."

More Info: en.wikipedia.org

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8 Comments

Pat Wells

Elsy O. Stromberg, Totally agree.

Elsy O. Stromberg

Don't know why capital punishment is not considered cruel. Also cruel is putting someone in solitary confinement. Both should be prohibited as far as I'm concerned.

Paul Backus

Most Americans have no idea that the English even had a Civil War. That an entire line was excluded from the throne, or that Great Britain was ruled by foreigners for decades.