CRUEL & UNUSUAL

SCOTUS Reneges on Hearing Death-Row Case

Convicted murderer Bobby Moore.

The Supreme Court announced Monday it would hear a convicted Texas murderer’s appeal—and then immediately changed its mind. Bobby Moore, who has spent the last 35 years on death row, had argued the conditions under which he is being held are unconstitutional, as it’s cruel and unusual punishment. After their initial announcement, the high court quickly issued a clarification, indicating that the first statement was incorrect and it would not be considering the constitutionality of executing someone after decades on death row. Moore was convicted in 1980 when he was 20 years old. He murdered a grocery clerk while committing a robbery.