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Isis Braimbridge
Mr. Williams/Ms. Smith
American Literature
26 January 2015

Roper V. Simmons Case

1.) Christopher Simmons a 17 year boy was put to death because he murdered a lady name Ms
Shirley Crook in her home at 2 a.m. (2) There were two other boys that night who helped in the
murder. (3.) Charles Benjamin 15 and John Tessmer 16 , Simmons committed burglary and
murder by breaking and entering . (4.) They tied Ms. Crook up with duct tape and covered her
eyes and mouth with the duct tape and later threw her off a bridge in to a river. (5.)Simmons told
his friends they could get away with it because they were minors.
(6.) The State later charged Tessmer with conspiracy but dropped the charge in exchange for a
testimony against Simmons. (7.) When Mr. Crooks returned home from a trip out of town and
found their room in a wreck and his wife missing. (8.)He reported to the police that same day a
fisherman found Ms. Crooks body in the river where she thrown off the bridge. (9.) Simmons
bragging about the killing Ms. Crook and telling friends he had killed a woman last night.
(10.) The next day the police got the information from the people that he had told of
Simmons involvement in the murder of Ms. Crook. (11.) The police arrested him at his school
and took him to the police station in Fenton, Missouri. (12.) Simmons confessed to the murder
and agreed to perform a videotaped reenactment at the crime scene. (13.) Soon the State charged
Simmons with burglary, kidnapping stealing, and murder in the first degree. (14.) Simmons was
at the time when the crime took place so he was tried as an adult almost put to death. (15.) They
resentenced him to life in prison without eligibility for probation or parole.

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(16.) The law says when a juvenile offender commits a heinous crime, the state can exact
forfeiture of some of the most basic liberties, but the state cannot extinguish his life and his
potential to attain a mature understanding of his own humanity. (17.) I agree with the court that
he should spend life in prison for killing Ms. Crook. (18.) Also the fact that he bragged about it
at school made me feel like he took pride in killing her. (19.) He also stated that he could get
away with it because he was a minor.