The same Framers who built checks and balances to guard against human mistakes also knew the limits of their own imagination.

The 8th Amendment protects people from cruel and unusual punishment. This protection is meant to ensure that no person is overly punished for the crimes they were sentenced for. But in all actuality, what determines a punishment to be cruel?

Can jurors avoid forming opinions about key aspects of the case, such as the defendant’s guilt, if the media has already found them guilty?