The following excerpt is from Kingsberry v. Ratelle, 902 F.2d 39 (9th Cir. 1990):
The sentence imposed on Kingsberry, then, does not even begin to approach the constitutional ban against cruel and unusual punishment. We find that the sentence imposed on Kingsberry, when measured against objective criteria, cannot possibly be said to be so "significantly disproportionate" to his crime that it is prohibited by the Eighth Amendment. Cf. Solem v. Helm, 463 U.S. 277, 303 (1983).
The above passage should not be considered legal advice. Reliable answers to complex legal questions require comprehensive research memos. To learn more visit www.alexi.com.