Sixteen was held to be the minimum permissible age in the 1988 Supreme Court decision of Thompson v. Oklahoma. The Court, considering the case Roper v. Simmons in March 2005, found the execution of juvenile offenders unconstitutional by a 5–4 margin, effectively raising the minimum permissible age to 18. State laws have not been updated to conform with this decision. In the American legal system, unconstitutional laws do not need to be repealed; instead, they are held to be unenforceable. (See also List of juvenile offenders executed in the United States) COUNT 5
QSN1 According to Thompson v. Oklahoma, what was the youngest age at which a person might be executed? ANS1 Sixteen QSN2 In what year was Thompson v. Oklahoma decided? ANS2 1988 QSN3 In what month and year was Roper v. Simmons decided? ANS3 March 2005 QSN4 In Roper v. Simmons, how many Supreme Court justices believed juvenile execution to be unconstitutional? ANS4 5 QSN5 Based on Roper v. Simmons, what is now the minimum age to be executed in the United States? ANS5 18