Bill of rights
EIGHTH AMENDMENT - Explain what Cruel and Unusual Punishment means.
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bookragstutor
Last updated by
Jill W
The protection from "cruel and unusual punishment" is meant to prevent horrible punishments such as putting someone's eye out, cutting off their hands, whipping people, or locking people in stocks.
The punishments that have been determined to be forbidden by the Eighth Amendment include torture, burning alive, drawing and quartering, and taking away a person's U.S. citizenship.