Before the Court
The Justices Weigh in During Oral Arguments
At 10:02 a.m. on October 13, 2004, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments for case number 03-633, Donald P. Roper v. Christopher Simmons. At 10:59 a.m., arguments concluded and the case was submitted for judgment. Following are excerpts from the arguments of James R. Layton, attorney for Donald P. Roper, and Seth P. Waxman, attorney for Christopher Simmons. Questions are presented from the nine Supreme Court Justices.Argument on Behalf of the Donald P. RoperMR. LAYTON: Though bound by Stanford v. Kentucky [1989], the Missouri Supreme Court rejected both its holding and its rationale. This Court should stay the course…
