No more executing minors

For those who hadn’t heard, good news from the Supreme Court this morning.

The Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that the Constitution forbids the execution of killers who were under 18 when they committed their crimes, ending a practice used in Virginia and 18 other states.

The 5-4 decision throws out the death sentences of about 70 juvenile murderers and bars states from seeking to execute minors for future crimes.

The executions, the court said, were unconstitutionally cruel.

Death penalty supporters haven’t been having any luck with the high court at all lately. Three years ago, the justices said the mentally retarded couldn’t be executed, and now minors can’t either.

Now, I’m pleased to report, we’re no longer in the same category as Iran, Pakistan, China, and Saudi Arabia.