Court: |
US Supreme Court |
|
Facts: |
Eqing was on parole and stole some golf clubs (3 of them, each
worth $400). He had two or more serious or violent offenses
in the past. |
|
Posture: |
Convicted of one count of grand theft (>$400), sentenced to
25-life. |
|
Issue: |
Does the Eighth Amendment prohibit CA's "three strikes" law? |
|
Holding: |
No. |
|
Rule: |
Legislative judgment with a rational basis is entitled to deference. |
|
Reasoning: |
It's about incapacitation. His crime wasn't just the theft: it
was the theft while on parole for other things. It is not
irrational to punish recidivists more severely. |
|
Dicta: |
Concurring: 8A is about modes of punishment, not proportions. |