The Death Penalty In the eighteenth century, England would punish by death for pickpocketing and petty theft. Ever since the 1650's colonist could be put to death for denying the true god or cursing their parents advocates. Capital Punishment have clashed almost continuously in the forum of public opinion in state legislatures and most recently in courts. In 1972,the case of furman vs.Georgia reached the supreme court. The court decided that punishment by death did indeed violate the eighth amendment to containing that "excessive fines imposed,nor cruel and unusual punishment inflicted." By this decision death sentences all over the country we