Gregg v. Georgia (1976) addressed the death penalty. What did the Court decide?

• A. Unconstitutional
• B. Constitutional under certain circumstances
• C. The death penalty cannot be imposed under any circumstances
• D. The Court did not decide on the issue

Answer: (B)

The main idea is that the death penalty itself isn’t unconstitutional in all cases; it can be constitutional if the process surrounding its use includes safeguards to prevent arbitrary outcomes. Gregg v. Georgia upheld statutes that used a guided, two‑stage process: first a trial to determine guilt, then a separate sentencing phase in which a jury considers aggravating and mitigating factors, with automatic appellate review. These procedural protections were aimed at ensuring careful, case‑specific consideration rather than arbitrary imposition. Because of those safeguards, the Court allowed capital punishment under certain circumstances, reversing the blanket ban created by Furman v. Georgia. In short, the decision rejected the notion that the death penalty is per se unconstitutional and affirmed its constitutionality when properly limited and carried out.