The Supreme Court case
Roper v. Simmons ruled that it is unconstitutional to sentence a person under the age of 18 to death. This case was won by relating it to the case
Atkins v. Georgia a case which ruled it unconstitutional to sentence a mentally retarded person to death. An entire precedent, still standing today, based on the comparison of teenagers to the mentally retarded. When I was younger I wanted to be a Supreme Court Justice, I'm glad I changed my mind. John Marshall would be rolling over in his grave. I'm not saying kids should be given the death penalty, I don't think anyone should, but the reason certainly isn't because they are similar to the mentally retarded in brain development, ya know.