| Godfrey v. Georgia | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Argued February 20, 1980 Decided May 19, 1980 | |
| Full case name | Robert Franklin Godfrey v. The State of Georgia |
| Citations | 446
U.S.
420 (
more) 100 S. Ct. 1759; 64
L. Ed. 2d 398 |
| Holding | |
| The Court reversed the judgment insofar as it leaves standing the death sentences, and the case was remanded. | |
| Court membership | |
| |
| Case opinions | |
| Plurality | Stewart, joined by Blackmun, Powell, Stevens |
| Concurrence | Marshall, joined by Brennan |
| Dissent | Burger |
| Dissent | White, joined by Rehnquist |
| Laws applied | |
| U.S. Const. amends. VIII, XIV | |
Godfrey v. Georgia, 446 U.S. 420 (1980), was a United States Supreme Court case in which the Court held that a death sentence could not be granted for a murder when the only aggravating factor was that the murder was found to be "outrageously or wantonly vile."
The Court reversed and remanded the Georgia death penalty sentence because, under Furman v. Georgia, such a factor did not help sentencing judges or juries avoid arbitrary and capricious infliction of the death penalty.
External links
- Text of Godfrey v. Georgia, 446 U.S. 420 (1980) is available from: Google Scholar Justia Library of Congress Oyez (oral argument audio)
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