Travaglia v. Pennsylvania
Headline: Court declines review of multiple death‑penalty cases, leaving lower‑court death sentences intact while two Justices dissent and would have vacated those sentences.
Holding:
- Leaves lower‑court death sentences in effect for the listed cases.
- Two Justices publicly dissented and would have vacated the sentences.
- No Supreme Court merits ruling on death‑penalty constitutionality in these entries.
Summary
Background
The opinions listed involve appeals from many state high courts and criminal appellate courts about people sentenced to death, with several lower‑court decisions reported in the citations provided. The Supreme Court entry here shows that review of those cases was sought and that the Court acted on those requests.
Reasoning
The central procedural question was whether the Supreme Court would take up these death‑penalty appeals. The Court denied review (certiorari denied) of the listed cases. The excerpt does not include a majority opinion or an explanation of the Court’s reasoning for denying review, so no majority rationale is available in this text.
Real world impact
Because the Court denied review, the lower‑court rulings and the death sentences described in those lower decisions remain in effect for now. The denial leaves the existing state and appellate court outcomes undisturbed by this Court’s action in these entries, at least based on the decision shown here.
Dissents or concurrances
Two Justices, Brennan and Marshall, filed a dissent. They reiterated their view that the death penalty is always cruel and unusual punishment, said they would have granted review, and stated they would vacate the death sentences. They cited Gregg v. Georgia in support of their position.
Opinions in this case:
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