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Furman vs. Georgia
65
The Verdict
Furman Appeals
Georgia's Rule
In a 5-4 decision, on June 19th, 1971, the Supreme Court ruled
in Furman's favor and overturned his sentence... They also ruled that unless there was a clear understanding of who was eligible for the death penalty, it was “cruel and unusual punishment.
Furman didn't agree with the ruling, due to the fact that it was an accident, so he appealed the decision and took it to the Supreme Court on January 19th, 1971.
Georgia ruled on Sep. 20th, 1968 after a one day trial that Furman would receive the Death Penalty because the murder occurred during the robbery.
Case Facts
William Henry Furman
- Furman was born in 1941
- He was 26 at the time of the murder
- The murder occurred on August 11, 1967
- He was arrested the same day
- Murder location was Savannah, GA
- Victim was William Joseph Micke Jr., he was 29 years old
How it Happened...
Supreme Court
At the Supreme Court, Furman claimed that the ruling was in violation of his rights garaunteed by the 14th Amendment. He also stated that the death penalty lacked a solid understanding and could vary throughout states.
William Joseph Micke Jr. came home to his wife and five children one night after work. He awoke during the night because he began to hear strange sounds in the kitchen. Furman heard him coming and tried to run away. Upon leaving, Furman dropped his gun and when it hit the floor, it went off, killing the homeowner in a freak accident. Furman had no intentions of killing anyone thats why he tried to run away.
How they Made The Decision
The Supreme Court based their evidence on studies showing that defendants who were black, uneducated, poor, or mentally ill received the death penalty more often than those who were white, educated, wealthy, and mentally healthy. Therefore, ruling the death penalty unfair, (Cruel and Unusual Punishment)
Works Cited
Furman's Plea
https://www.google.com/search?q=furman+vs+georgia+case&rlz=1CALEAC_enUS664US664&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=657&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAmoVChMI87n01sSXyQIVA-QmCh2cPwKd&safe=active&ssui=on#imgrc=9zMgDzvO_54SbM%3A
https://www.google.com/search?q=furman+vs+georgia+case&rlz=1CALEAC_enUS664US664&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=657&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAmoVChMI87n01sSXyQIVA-QmCh2cPwKd&safe=active&ssui=on#imgrc=8Bzh-gVVRtxTbM%3A
https://www.google.com/search?q=furman+vs+georgia+case&rlz=1CALEAC_enUS664US664&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=657&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAmoVChMI87n01sSXyQIVA-QmCh2cPwKd&safe=active&ssui=on#imgrc=BcEMY99pr1V4nM%3A
http://murderpedia.org/male.F/f/furman-william-henry.htm
Furman was poor so he recieved a poor mans trial. Furman was mentally ill. He claimed that he accidently shot the man. Although evidence showed it was accidental, Georgia ruled against Furman.