Coker V. Georgia Case Study

Coker V. Georgia is a supreme court case that took place in 1977. Ehrlich Anthony Coker also known as Coker, was already serving multiple life sentences for rape, murder, assault, and kidnapping. (https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/433/584/case.html) But Coker escaped through the roof of a building where a meeting was being held on September 2. (https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/433/584/case.html). After he escaped out of the roof he went on a journey. He came up to a house and broke inside, Allen Carver and Elnita Carver along with their three week old baby was inside. He raped and kidnapped Elnita. (https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/433/584/case.html) A supreme case over a rape, murder, assault and a kidnapping

Kendall. The Respondent was Troy leon Georgia his solicitor was B. Gean Grindle Jr. They were all from Georgia. On the night of September 2, 1974 Coker escaped out of the top of a building where a meeting was being held. After he escaped he wound up at the house of Elnita and Allan Carver’s house, he let himself in. Coker tied up Allen and put their three week old baby in the bathroom along with him. He then stole money from Allen’s wallet. He raped Elinta, he then told Allen that if the cops get involved in this he was going to kill Elnita. He forced Elnita into the car and drove away. Allen managed to get out of the bathroom and call 911. Coker got caught by the police with a road block. Police saved Mrs. Carver and she showed to not be harmed, except for the raping. After he was caught he did indeed go back to jail. On March 28, 1977 the issue was argued in front of the Supreme Court of Georgia. “In a 7-to-2 decision, the Court held that the death penalty was a "grossly disproportionate" punishment for the crime of rape. The Court noted that nearly all states at that time declined to impose such a harsh penalty, with Georgia being the only state that authorized death for the rape of

Also the fourteenth amendment, ”addresses citizenship rights and equal protection of the laws.” (https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8&safe=active&ssui=on#safe=strict&q=what+is+the+fourteenth+amendment). “”The conclusion that the death sentence imposed on petitioner is disproportionate punishment for rape is not affected by the fact that the jury found the aggravating circumstances of prior capital felony convictions and occurrence of the rape while committing armed robbery, a felony for which the death sentence is also authorized, since the prior convictions do not change the fact that the rape did not involve the taking of life, and since the jury did not deem the robbery itself deserving of the death penalty, even though accompanied by the aggravating circumstances of prior capital felony convictions. Pp.