Capital punishment

Vanessa OttPeriod 2

Honors American History

WHAT IS CAPITAL PUNISHMENT?

Death Penalty

Planned taking of a human life

Government’s Response to a crime committed

DIVIDED BELIEFS “Ultimate

denial of human rights”

“Violates the right to life”

“In-human and degrading punishment”

“Some defendants have earned the ultimate punishment

“Life is sacred” “ Society has no

right to keep the murder from killing again”

Teach that killing is wrong by killing

DEATH PENALTY IN THE US Has not always been

practiced in U.S About 13,000 people

have been executed Peak in the depression

era 1972- nullified the

death penalty 1976-2009 1,167

people have been exucted

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS Democratic countries in Europe have

abolished capital punishment over last 50 years.

In the US government retain it Crimes vary from treason-murder-

theft

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN THE US Officially sanctioned by 34 states Each state has different laws regarding

Laws, Methods, Age limits, Crimes which qualify

MORAL COMPLICATIONS The case of “ Stanley

“Tookie” Williams Dr. Williams, author

&Nobel Peace & Literature Prize Nominee

Put to death on December 13, 2005

Brought capital punishment back into debate

CONTINUED.. Williams

convicted for four murders

Professed innocence of theses crimes

Co-founder of the crips

Gang that is responsible for hundreds of murders

Five years of incarnation

Religious conversion

Published books that promoted peace & anitgang activist

PUBLIC REFLECTION Little doubt that he committed

murders No further threat to society Contribute considerable good Put to death on December

13,2005 lethal injection

ARGUMENTS FOR CAPITAL PUNISHMENT Someone who would cause more

harm Punish the criminal

Deter others from committing murder

Incapable of rehabilitation

ARGUMENTS AGAINST CAPITAL PUNISHMENT “Cruel and

unusual punishment”

- prohibited by the 8th amendment

Used disproportionately against poor

Wrongly convicted

Not “pro-life”

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN THE UNITED STATES Only used for

aggravated murder Some states have

banned it 52 executions in

2009 Texas has the

largest amount for death row victims

METHODS OF EXECUTION

Hanging Electric Chair

Lethal injection Gas Chamber Firing Squad

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN OTHER COUNTRIES Many countries

abolished it Iran is the biggest

executer of juvenile offenders

3, 350 sentenced to death in 51 countries

20,000 prisoners on death row across world

DEATH ROW Section of prisons awaiting execution Found guilty then sentenced to

execution Remain on death row while during

procedure Form of mental cruelty Become mentally ill Death row phenomenon

EXECUTIONS IN PENNSYLVANIA 1913 Electric Chair “Old Smokey” Unconstitutional -1972 Two Dozen removed from death row Only 3 executed since 1976 Lethal Injection