The United States Constitution protects its citizens from the government in many cases; one of the things it protects against is cruel and unusual punishment.
So what is cruel and unusual punishment? Most people think of burning at the stake, tarring and feathering, and crucifixion. Of course, these are considered cruel and unusual; however, the definition “cruel and unusual” isn't limited to these medieval methods of torture. The court case Furman v. Georgia resulted in Justice Brennan giving an outline of four characteristics to diagnose a cruel and unusual punishment in his concurring opinion.
