Eighth Amendment

The Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution was adopted on December 15, 1791, as part of the United States Bill of Rights. It prohibits the federal government and states from imposing excessive bail, excessive fines, or cruel and unusual punishments. The amendment originated in the English Bill of Rights of 1689 and was inspired by the case of Titus Oates, who was subjected to a harsh and unusual punishment in England. The Supreme Court has interpreted the amendment to prohibit certain kinds of punishment, such as drawing and quartering, and has struck down capital punishment in some instances. The Court has also held that the Excessive Fines Clause prohibits fines that are grossly excessive and that the Excessive Bail Clause prohibits setting bail at a figure higher than is reasonably calculated to ensure the defendant's appearance at trial.learn more on wikipedia