Merritt was sixteen when she pulled the trigger and shot and killed Cesar to steal his car. Merritt cannot be sentenced to death, even in a state where the death penalty is allowed, because she is a _____.

Merritt was sixteen when she committed the murder, so she was a minor. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the death penalty cannot be imposed for crimes committed by people who were under 18. Her status as a student, woman, or first-time offender is not the reason.

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