Opinion ID: 2600675
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: Cruel and unusual punishment: lethal injection

Text: Defendant contends that California's method of execution by lethal injection constitutes cruel and unusual punishment, in violation of the Eighth Amendment to the federal Constitution. We repeatedly have rejected this claim. ( Lewis and Oliver, supra, 39 Cal.4th at p. 1068; People v. Young, supra, 34 Cal.4th at p. 1234.) Moreover, asserted imperfections in the method of execution do not affect the validity of the death judgment itself. ( People v. Boyer (2006) 38 Cal.4th 412, 485 [42 Cal.Rptr.3d 677, 133 P.3d 581]; see Baze v. Rees (2008) 553 U.S. ___ [170 L.Ed.2d 420, 128 S.Ct. 1520, 1537-1538] [rejecting challenge to lethal-injection procedure of the State of Kentucky based upon the Eighth Amendment]; Morales v. Hickman (9th Cir. 2006) 438 F.3d 926, 931 [affirming federal district court's modification of California's protocol for lethal injection in lieu of injunctive relief].)