The Supreme Court hands a rare victory to a death row inmate
The Supreme Court has decided not to rule on the case of Hamm v. Smith, allowing death row inmate Joseph Clifton Smith to avoid execution. This decision reflects a division among the justices regarding the death penalty and the standards for determining intellectual disability. The ruling indicates that some constitutional protections against capital punishment may remain intact for now.
- ▪The Supreme Court dismissed Hamm v. Smith, allowing Joseph Clifton Smith to avoid execution.
- ▪Justice Sonia Sotomayor suggested that Alabama's legal representation may have contributed to the case's outcome.
- ▪The decision highlights a shift among some Republican justices away from hardline positions on the death penalty.
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PoliticsThe Supreme Court hands a rare victory to a death row inmateThe Court’s Republicans appear much more divided on the death penalty than some of their previous cases suggested.by Ian MillhiserMay 21, 2026, 6:30 PM UTCShareGiftAn image from 2000 of the Texas death chamber in Huntsville. Joe Raedle/NewsmakersIan Millhiser is a senior correspondent at Vox, where he focuses on the Supreme Court, the Constitution, and the decline of liberal democracy in the United States. He received a JD from Duke University and is the author of two books on the Supreme Court.The Supreme Court announced on Thursday that it will not decide Hamm v.
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