The Death Penalty

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The Death Penalty

• 8th Amendment Cruel and Unusual Punishment?

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The Death Penalty of Old

• Public punishment necessary deterrent.
• The more painful the more likely souls could be
  cleansed for heaven.
• Also, great entertainment for the public.

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Death Penalty for the Founders.

• Most Founders did favor the death penalty BUT
  did not like torture killings.
• Death penalty used only for capital crimes.
• Death penalty purpose to quickly end life. Mere
  extinguishment of life.

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Death Penalty in USA

• Until 1967, death penalty used for murder, rape,
  theft.
• Fuhrman v. Georgia (1972) put a moratorium on
  executions.
• Only to be used for capital crimes.
• No capricious use.

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Moratorium on executions until 1976

• More than 600 death row inmates had their
  sentences changed between 1972 1976.
• Mandatory death sentences ONLY with aggravating
  circumstances.

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Statistics on the Death Penalty in the US

• In 2007 - 42 inmates were executed in the
  country.
• Down 11 from 2006.

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Methods of Execution in 2007

• Lethal injection
• Electrocution
• Gas chamber
• Hanging
• Firing squad

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States Methods

• Lethal injection 46 states
• Electrocution 1 state
• Gas Chamber 5 states
• Hanging 2 states
• Firing squad 2 states
• Alternative methods of lethal injection.

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Number of executions by state since 1976

• Texas 245
• Virginia 82
• Florida 51
• Missouri 49
• Oklahoma 40
• Louisiana 26
• Nebraska - 3

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2007 Statistics

• 41 whites
• 19 blacks
• 1 woman
• All Lethal Injection

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Interesting statistics on the US system as of end
of 2007.

• 3,263 prisoners under sentence of death.
• California has the most on death row 669
• Florida 388
• Texas 370
• NEBRASKA - 10

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Prisoners By Race

• 1,805 were white   -- 1,372 were black   -- 31
  were American Indian   -- 34 were Asian   -- 12
  were of unknown race.

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Death Row Statistics

• 112 women were under a sentence of death at
  yearend 2007.

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Death Row Statistics

• Among inmates under sentence of death and with
  available criminal histories at yearend 2007--
  nearly 2 in 3 had a prior felony conviction-- 1
  in 12 had a prior homicide conviction.

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Death Row Statistics

• the average age at time of arrest was 28
• 1 in 9 inmates were age 19 or younger at the time
  of arrest.
• At yearend 2007, the youngest inmate under
  sentence of death was 17 the oldest was 90.

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Currently 2008 Moratoriums on Executions

• Not only Nebraska other states are rethinking
  the death penalty.
• Is it cruel and unusual?

19
International Statistics

• During 2005, at least 2,148 people were executed
  in 22 countries and at least 5.186 people were
  sentenced to death in 53 countries. These were
  only minimum figures the true figures were
  certainly higher.In 2005, 94 per cent of all
  known executions took place in China, Iran, Saudi
  Arabia and the USA.

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International Statistics

• 129 countries which have abolished the death
  penalty in law or practice.
• 68 other countries and territories retain and use
  the death penalty,

21
International Statistics

• 1,770 people were executed in China
• although the true figures were believed to be
  much higher. A Chinese legal expert was recently
  quoted as stating the figure for executions is
  approximately 8,000 based on information from
  local officials and judges,
• official national statistics on the application
  of the death penalty remained classified as a
  state secret

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International Statistics

• Iran executed at least 265 people
• Saudi Arabia at least 153 men and 3 women
• North Korea estimated deaths over 100.

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International Statistics

• Beheading (in Saudi Arabia, Iraq)- Electrocution
  (in USA)- Hanging (in Egypt, Iran, Japan,
  Jordan, Pakistan, Singapore and other
  countries)- Lethal injection (in China,
  Guatemala, Philippines, Thailand, USA)- Shooting
  (in Belarus, China, Somalia, Taiwan, Uzbekistan,
  Viet Nam and other countries)- Stoning (in
  Afghanistan, Iran)

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States that use lethal injection

• Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado,
  Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho,
  Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana,
  Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada,
  Tennessee, N. Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico,
  New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon,
  Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota,
  Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wyoming, US
  Military

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States that use Electrocution

• Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois,
  Kentucky, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South
  Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia
• By 2003 - ONLY Nebraska uses the electric chair.
• 2008 Supreme Court rules in is Unconstitutional!

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States that use hanging

• Delaware, New Hampshire, Washington.

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States that use firing squads

• Idaho, Oklahoma, Utah

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States that use lethal gas

• Arizona, California, Maryland, Missouri, Wyoming.