McCleskey v. Kemp (1986)
- Docket
- 84-6811
- Decided
- 1986-01-01
Summary
Question: Did the statistical study prove that McCleskey's sentence violated the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments? Conclusion: The Court held that since McCleskey could not prove that purposeful discrimination which had a discriminatory effect on him existed in this particular trial, there was no constitutional violation. Justice Powell refused to apply the statistical study in this case given the unique circumstances and nature of decisions that face all juries in capital cases. He argued that the data McCleskey produced is best presented to legislative bodies and not to the courts.