SOCY 4104 Exam 1

Roper vs. Simmons & litigation on juveniles Acker Chapter 5

Common law: children under 14 are incompetent and immune from criminal punishment, but children as young as 7 were still charged and sometimes sentenced to death. Are children old enough to commit murder also old enough to be punished by death? Is there a minimum age that needs to be set for death penalty eligibility? Simmons (17) entered the home of a woman and kidnapped her, tied her hands and feet, and threw her into a river causing her to drown. Simmons assured his accomplice they would get away with it because they were minors. Simmons confessed and reenacted the crime, he was tried as an adult for first degree murder and sentenced to death. Atkins vs. Virginia --> execution of mentally retarded and juveniles is forbidden Stanford vs. Kentucky --> death penalty is disproportionate punishment for anyone under the age of 18 at the time of the crime

Lockett Acker Chapter 4

Convicted of aggravated murder as na accomplice to an armed robbery that resulted in the killing of an employee, Lockett was the getaway car driver but she was not inside the store when the employee was shot. Ohio's death penalty statue put a restraint on death sentencing. - Trial judge needs to consider nature and circumstances - History, character, conditions - no psychosis or mental deficiency Judge had no choice but to sentence Lockett to death even though she was young (21), she was not in the shop or had the intention to kill, and had no substantial criminal record. - Limited range of circumstances the sentencer can consider violates 8th and 14 amendments post-Gregg - But some justices disagreed and said her trial was fair and Ohio is not required to consider mitigating evidence

Jimmy Meders final case

DNA test of murder weapon was granted, Jenkins thought Meders would be executed because he made a mistake and didn't think of a DNA test extraordinary motion for new trial because of new evidence - judge ruled that Jenkins forfeited client's rights and ruled that DNA evidence wouldn't make a difference Jimmy Meders had no prior criminal record and other two perps had history of violence - not a death penalty case - one disciplinary complaint on death row in 30 years --> model prisoner, peacemaker

Amnesty International Report

Death penalty breaches human rights to life, freedom, and nt to be tortured or treated cruelly. Execution methods still present are beheading, electrocution, hanging, lethal injection and shooting. Countries in the Middle East, China, and Africa still execute juveniles even though it is internationally illegal to execute anyone under 18 at the time of the crime. In 2018, the most known executions took place in China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam and Iraq. China is the world's top executioner, but true extent is unknown because data is kept secret. Excluding China, 78% of executions took place in the other four countries. In 2018, there were 690 executions from 20 countries worldwide. This is down 31% from 2017 and the lowest number recorded in the past decade. But almost 20,000 people are under the sentence of death worldwide. We should abolish the death penalty because irreversible mistakes happen, it does not deter crime, it is often used with skewed justice systems, it is discriminatory and used as a political tool. Botswana, Sudan, Taiwan and Thailand resumed executions this year. 106 countries abolished death penalty for all crimes and another 142 abolished death penalty in law or practice. For the 10th straight year, USA was the only country in the region to carry out executions. 25 executions and 45 sentences. Texas nearly doubled its figure from 7 to 13, Nebrasksa had its first execution since 1997.

Furman Acker Chapter 4

Death sentences violate the 8th amendment, especially when the decision between life and death is at the absolute discretion of the judges. - Unconstitutional because it violates 8th (cruel and unusual punishment) and 14th (due process) amendments - Invalidated almost all death penalty laws and cleared the nation's death rows of more than 600 offenders awaiting execution Justices - Brennan and Marshall: 8th amendment prohibits execution - Douglas: unrelated decision making process results in discrimination in capital punishment cases - Stewart: death penalty is unpredictable and irrational - White: death penalty doesn't provide retribution or deterrence

would life in prison give prisoners a free pass to kill prison workers and guards?

Edward Monture --> 2 life sentences, miserable, TV visits if you mess up while you're serving life imprisonment it will be horrible because there are other means of punishment within the prison prisoners with life are often the best behaved, you want peace if you're gonna be in there for the rest of your life no surges in prison violence in states that abolished the death penalty

Enmund Acker Chapter 5

Enmund drove the getaway car in Florida where his accomplices shot and killed an elderly couple while robbing them. Enmund remained in the car but was indicted on first degree murder charges on Florida's felony murder rule --> defendant was present dan actively aiding in omission of another crime. Enmund was found guilty and sentenced to death. Is the death penalty a valid punishment under the 8th and 14th amendments for a defendant who neither took life, attempted to take life, and not intended to take life? - Punishment must be tailored to personal involvement - Putting Enmund to death for two killings he did not commit does not measurably contribute to the retributive factor

Atkins vs. Vriginia Acker Chapter 5

Exempted mentally retarded offenders (and juveniles) from being eligible for the death penalty, but mental retardation is not easily measured and recorded like age. Atkins abducted a man, shot him and took his truck. He was charged with abduction, robbery and murder. The forensic psychologist that evaluated Atkins at trial indicated that his IQ was 59 and he was mildly mentally retarded. Capital murder can only deter when it is premeditated, deliberate and understood.

felony disenfranchisment

FL and Alabama have lifetime felony disenfranchisement CO has disenfranchisement while in prison and on parole

Profitt vs. Florida

First degree murder is punishable bu death or life imprisonment, jury vote doe snot have to be unanimous, but you must answer yes to all three questions, if one answer is no then you can't sentence them to death. - Was it committed deliberately? - Will the defendant commit more violent crimes? - Was the killing an unreasonable response to provocation?

George Vasil

Florida, sentenced to death as a juvenile but was commuted to life because he was 15 at the time of the crime death penalty abolished for 17 year olds and younger

Coker Acker Chapter 5

Georgia rapist sentenced to death, Coker escaped prison in 1974 where he was serving three life sentences fro murder, rape, kidnapping and assault. While he was on the run, he abducted a woman from her house but released her without further injury. He was convicted of rape. This happened in 1977, which was post-Gregg and meant the death penalty is not in violation of constitutional rights. Georgia law allowed the death penalty fr rape if the prosecution could prove aggravating circumstances. - rape committed during time of another felony - prior conviction of capital felony Death penalty is disproportionate and excessive punishment for rape and prohibited under the8th amendment as cruel and unusual punishment. - The problem was that Coker was already serving three life sentences, what retribution would there be if death wasn't available? 16 states had rape as ac capital offense in 1971. Two part analysis: - objective indicators of society's evolving standards of decency - the justices' own judgement --> death is a constitutionally excessive punishment for rape, but many justices disagreed

Gregg vs. Georgia 1976 Acker Chapter 4

Gregg and his friend were hitchhiking, Gregg shot and killed the people who picked them up, took their money, valuables, and car. Gregg was tried on two counts of murder and two counts of armed robbery. He was sentenced to death because prosecution could prove one or more aggravating factors and the jury vote was unanimous. - prior record - engaged in another criminal act - created risk of death to people in premises - purpose of money - killed officer or legal employee - committed murder as agent or employee of another person - tortured and aggravated battery to victim - killed corrections, police or firemen - escaped confinement - avoiding arrest Supreme court ruled that sentencing George to death was constitutional.

California Guy Sentenced to Death

Israel Ramirez Guardado set his mother on fire and was sentenced to death by judge who followed recommendation of the jury. - first degree murder with two special circumstances or lying in wait and inflicting torture that made him eligible for the death penalty - jury took less than an hour to reach its decision Guardado's sister says he forgives her brother even though she doesn't know why he killed their mother Pro se: acted as his own attorney - maintained his innocence throughout trial but there were facebook posts and witnesses leading to his guilt - witnesses saw a man lighting a woman on fire and then the woman burning Death penalty decision comes even though CA is a moratorium state

Ted Bundy case

Jim Coleman took over the case and psychologist was retained, Dianne Wyner got close to him Carol's mom got injured in a car accident so her and the kid went to see him but never came back for Ted Ted's parents stayed in Radelet's house got death warrant after 10 years on the row - 6 months before death Ted wanted to confess for 2 year extension on his execution Radelet kicked Dianna out of his house because she was encouraging Ted 5 days before his execution night before execution: Ted does an interview and says pornography made him do it --> he liked detective magazines and reading stories of murders turned him on - the line between sex and violence intersected for him, his crimes were acts of sexual violence (orgasmed every time)

Jimmy Meders appeal 2

Jim Jenkins got involved in 1989, no email or easy way to communicate with inmates final appeal was denied in 11th circuit in 2019, case moved to supreme court - need to be granted cert for USSC to hear case - ADEPA: constrained habeas corpus in federal courts, spent 25 years fighting ADEPA

Jim Jenkins & Jimmy Meders

Jim worked on Jimmy's case for 30 years the case is still fresh --> sleep deprived, confused going to watch execution when he found out they got clemency only his third death penalty case --> involvement in case increased until he was the only lawyer on the case for the past 10 years

Meaders Article

Jimmy Meaders: Georgia inmate set for execution on 1/16 and defense attorney Jim Jenkins of Boulder, had death sentence commuted to life without possibility of parole 6 hours before his execution First inmate to be granted clemency in Georgia in 6 years, 5th inmate since 2002 Show mercy in rare circumstances - no prior criminal record - one minor infraction in 30 years on death row - jury's desire to impose life and not death sentence

McGautha Acker Chapter 4

Juries had to determine guilt and sentencing (life imprisonment or death penalty) at the same time, insecure trenching juries were entirely free to act not heir own judgment and discretion, the law provides no standards or guidance for the jury. McGautha was sentenced to death but argued that giving juries absolute discretion to make a momentary decision violated his 14th amendment rights of due process. - Supreme Court disagreed 6-3 - But one year later in Furman vs. Georgia the court agreed 5-4 that death sentences at the discretion of juries and judges violated the 8th amendment

Death Penalty in CO

Last CO execution was in 1997 In order to pass a bill, you need 33 house cotes, 18 senate votes, and 1 signature from the governor. The death penalty abolition movement can finally count to 18+ senate votes. Jack Tate and Owen Hill (republicans) surprisingly support abolition because death penalty fails to promote public policies that make our community safer and provide victims with the services they need. The death penalty risks innocent lives and is ineffective and expensive, the state shouldn't have the power of life and death. Rhonda Fields (democrat) wants the death penalty, her son and his fiancee were murder in 2005. Sir Mario Owens and Robert Ray are 2 out of the 3 people on death row in CO. CO has only executed one person since 1976 - Gary Lee Davis: rapist and murderer

McCluskey decision

Lewis Powell 1987 statistical evidence of racial bias and disparities does not constitute equal protection 5-4 supreme court decision, justice Powell said it was a bad decision and would've saved McCluskey's life

Thurgood Marshall

NAACP Legal Defense Fund went after death penalty in the 1950s, traveled around the south to defend mostly black people won Furman case in 1972

People on CO death row

Nathan Dunlap: temporary reprieve, supposed to be executed by still on death row Sir Mario Owens & Robert Ray: killed Rhonda Fields' son and his fiancee all three are black

Bruno Hauptmann

New Jersey execution, very publicized kidnapped Charles Lindburg's son in 1973 and was executed "it hurts like it was yesterday" - Bruno's wife

DPIC End of the Year Report

New hampshire abolished the death penalty and California went into moratorium even though they have the largest death row with 740 people. 60% of Americans prefer life imprisonment to the death penalty. Fewer than 30 people were executed last year and fewer than 50 were sentenced to death for the fifth straight year. 32 states have abolished the death penalty or are in moratorium. 91% of executions took place in the South, 41% took place in Texas. Kentucky governor Matt Bevin commuted two death sentences. - Gregory Wilson: sentenced to death while white accomplice was sentenced to life - Leif Halvorsen: model prisoner, completed college degrees, raised money for underprivileged youth US DOC announced they were going to resume federal executions after a 16 year hiatus - 175 family members of murder victims, judges and lawyers wrote a letter to ask DOC to stop executions Executions peaked in 1999 and have declined since then 5 prisoners were exonerated due to innocence, another 4 raised innocence claims. 19 out of 22 executions were problematic and had one or more: mental illness, brain damage, intellectual disability. - 4 were under 21 at the age of the crime - 5 prisoners had accomplices that participated more than they did - unfair legal process, especially in Texas Every demographic preferred imprisonment over death sentence. Changes in death row conditions resulted in no permanent solitary confinement. Bucklew vs. Precythe: 8th amendment doesn't guarantee a prisoner a painless death Flowers vs. Mississippi: prohibits racial discrimination when selecting juries

Sutton chooses chair

Nick Sutton chooses electric chair for his February 20th execution - 5th prisoner to choose electrocution in Tennessee since executions resumed in 2018 - Sutton is legally allowed to choose between lethal injection and execution since he was sentenced before the state made lethal injection primary method of execution in 1999 - protocol is to use three drug lethal injection that has been botched in other states - prisoners argued with this protocol saying it was cruel and unusual punishment - protocol was upheld as constitutional so the electric chair has become method of choice to a lot of prisoners facing execution 1. first drug: sedative, not enough to keep them from feeling pain 2. paralytic, feels like being buried alive 3. stop heart, feels like being burned alive Sutton was sentenced to death in 1985 for stabbing fellow inmate to death, he was serving a life sentence for killing his grandmother and two other men - request for clemency: Sutton saved prison guards lives multiple times and has support of victims' families

Benjamin Rush Acker Chapter 5

Pennsylvania created two forms of murder (1st and 2nd degree) in 1794 that limited the death penalty to first degree murders and murders committed during the commission of other felonies. - Willful, premeditated, deliberate)

Woodson vs. North Carolina

Robbery at a convenience store where cashier was shot and killed, Woodson was tried for first degree murder which carried mandated death sentence, but his death sentence was invalidated by the supreme court.

McCleskey Acker Chapter 4

Summarized which requirements states need to meet to sentence a person to death. - Threshold below which death penalty can not be imposed - Cannot limit sentencer's consideration of any related circumstances that could cause them to decline the death penalty

NAACP Legal Defense Fund

Thurgood Marshall: first African American on supreme court Brown vs. Board of Education 1954 --> no more separate but equal Plessy vs. Ferguson: black man sitting on white area of train

Tison Acker Chapter 5

Two brothers helped their father (convicted murderer) escape from jail and kidnapped/killed a family, they were convicted of felony murder and sentenced to death. Is the death penalty justifiable for felony murder? Tison's admission to law enforcement had to be thrown out because it was obtained unlawfully, without the admission they were sentenced to life without possibility of parole.

Gas chamber was first used in Nevada in 1923

William Kelly, first in Co in 1933 to be executed with gas chamber, second state to use gas chamber

1976 court decisions

Woodson vs. North Carolina Roberts vs. Louisiana Gregg vs. Georgia Profitt vs. Florida Jurek vs. Texas Decisions found constitutionally acceptable death penalty cases post-Furman (1972).

Jurek vs. Texas

Yes to all three questions meant death penalty, no meant life imprisonment. - deliberate - threat to society and recidivism - unreasonable response to provocation

Dailey

a group of prosecutors and attorney generals filed a brief asking the USSC to review Dailey's death sentence, Dailey's roommate admitted to stabbing the victim and owned a knife consistent with the stab wound, he was also the only person to be identified by witnesses. The roommate is already serving a life sentence for murder, he confessed he was solely responsible and has said Dailey is innocent twice. Dailey was convicted based on the testimony of an unreliable jailhouse informant whose truthfulness is being questioned and who also earned a reward for his testimony, he was released just 5 days after Dailey was sentenced to death. People who support Dailey argue that prosecution took too much sin by relying on the unreliable witness and there is no physical evidence linking Dailey to the crime.

Illinois death penalty

abolished in 2011 after all death sentences are commuted in 2003

Ted Bundy aftermath

after his execution, Carole got mad because she found out about Dianna --> changed her name psychiatrist blamed Ted Bundy's behavior on his mother he murdered 32 women

race on death row in CO

all three are black two of them killed white, one killed black on black only 3% of the CO population is black

Death Row USA

between 1930 and 1967 there were 455 men executed for rape and 405 of them were black (89.1%) 3,859 people were executed between 1930 and 1967, 54% were black

pro death penalty arguments

bible deterrence

Catholics and the death penalty

bishop Rodrigues testified in the edible at the CO senate to abolish the death penalty - catholic church teaches that every person whether they are sick or sinful has a dignity that can't be erased or taken away - even those who commit horrible crimes are not outside of Christ's mercy - families of victims may feel that justice is served in the form of capital punishment, only God can offer true justice - use of death penalty speaks more to the problem of rejection of human dignity, cannot offer healing to victims and loved ones and death penalty adds to the cycle of violence

Jimmy Meders clemency

clemency granted 6 hours before execution Meders got transferred to medium security prison where he can work in the body shop, sleep in a dorm, take classes and get GED sentence could be life with possibility of parole since life without parole wasn't an option when he got sentenced DNA was never tested

Jim Jenkins being a death row lawyer

death penalty cases go through phases of "hibernation" then phases of critical work - practice and personal lives suffer - hard on families for those 3 weeks of work GA doesn't provide a lawyer for you after conviction appeal, being a death penalty lawyer is hard - don't make as much money and don't get paid until case is over (could be decades) - burnout rate is huge

severe mental illness

defendant who had severe mental illness at the time of the offense is not eligible for the death penalty in Virginia - passed int he senate and now onto the house

Clayton Lockett

died of a heart attack brought on by botched lethal injection Watt Espy tried to determine whether this counted as an execution or not

Jimmy Meders appeal

direct appeal with GA supreme court, lawyer was inefficient and that caused the client to be sentenced - judge didn't rule the lawyer deficient and denial of overwhelming evidence he didn't do it the next judge took 10 years to make his decision --> ruled in their favor and granted new trial by state habeas corpus judge

David Washington

executed 7/13/84, wife and kids came for last visit (no contact from 8-12 AM --> contact allowed from midnight to 1 AM) the kids were screaming as they were walking out and the family had to live with his death forever death and the death penalty hurt more for the family because they have to live with it

Luis Mongee

executed in CO in 1967 by gas chamber, last pre-Furman execution

Ted Bundy

executed in FL in 1989 Radelet: University of Florida 1979, became pen pals with inmate on death row who later killed himself, would occasionally carpool to prison with Ted Bundy's wife/lawyer (Carol Boone)

Repeal bill in CO

expected to pass in senate, final vote on 1/31 then onto the house

Lynchings

extra judicial --> no trial 1955 Emmett Till Lynching: whistend at a white woman, his mom insisted on an open casket so everyone could see what they did to him

CO senate abolishes death penalty

first vote 19/15 (passed) second vote 19/13 (2 people didn't vote) house judiciary --> full house --> full house

Andre Thomas

gouged his own eyes out and ate one of them, incarcerated because he stabbed his white wife, their son and her toddler, cutting out their hearts before stabbing himself. On death row because an all white jury in Texas condemned the 36 year old black man to die. Lawyers argue to court of appeals that jury was racially biased and trial lawyers were incompetent, he was sentenced to death despite debilitating mental illness. Although race may or may not have affected sentencing, there is no question he is psychotic so he can't be executed because he doesn't understand why. Interracial crime outraged the community, he confessed to murder but plead NGRI. Jury didn't hear about abuse and family's long history of mental illness. Prosecutors argued he could not be insane because he consumed enough alcohol, cough medicine and marijuana to trigger a break reality (willful intoxication) but his lawyers argue that he didn't know what he was doing was wrong at the time.

Jimmy Meders

granted clemency in GA on day of execution (1/16/20) Southern Center for Human Rights (from Just Mercy)

CO history hangings

hangings had to be legally authorized when CO became a territory in 1861 all hangings were public 1886 was biggest hanging in Denver 102 pre-Furman executions in CO Andrew Green (black guy) hung in Denver in 1886: many hangings were botched, convicted of robbery and mruder, felony murder doctrine (intent doesn't matter) --> 15,000+ attended his execution

lethal injection botched executions

inability to find a vein because they are obese of junkies against physician's medical ethics

Jimmy Meders final case 2

interview of the original jurors (7/9 still living), jury didn't want death, they wanted life without parole Jenkins testified in an effort to humanize Meders and plead to the parole board odds of getting clemency is really low

Eddie Ives

killed a cop in Denver in 1930 alleges insanity but psychologists said he was fine Ives only weighs 80 pounds and weight is 800 to 1,000 pounds so he gets launched and tangled in the beam of the hydraulic gallows

Jimmy Meders original case issues

lawyer was old, had 300 public defense cases at once and had no second chair/help police didn't recover murder weapon immediately, other guy may have planted weapon witnesses/other two perps lied prosecutor had police reports and didn't tell anyone, judge didn't let the jury see the reports jury wanted life without parole but that wasn't a sentencing option at the time --> only option was death penalty to protect the community

electric chair present day

no states use electric chair unless inmate chooses it because there were a lot of botched executions

Ted Bundy sentencing

offered life for Chi Omega orders and Kimberly Leech murder but he was sentenced to death

Corretta King

opposes death penalty - dehumanizing - encourages violence - adds suffering to families

CO history

people showed up to CO in 1859 (Denver and Boulder), it became a territory in 1861 and a state in 1867 government was a part of Kansas and made trials difficult so they didn't try any crimes except for murder people's courts --> 12 men appointed as dry and had an unofficial trial, if defendant was guilty they would hang him on the spot

why do conservatives support abolition of the death penalty?

pro-life cost death penalty is imperfect and government fails in many ways

clemency Jim Jenkins

reduction of sentence pardon --> only 3 death row inmates in Gerogia temporary reprieve --> Nathan Dunlap in CO

death row cells

single cell, size of average bathroom communicate via email life expectancy is lower than general population death penalty conditions can lead to giving up appeals

Watt Espy

tried to document every execution in US history documented 19,000 but estimated 23,000 - only 30 white people executed for killing black people - most executions by hanging - gas chamber introduced in 1923 because a lot of hangings were botched - 574 women executed

public executions were difficult because many hangings were done wrong and people don't want to see the guy suffer

weight on the other end of a rope wardens didn't participate in the beginning in 1890 and CO abolished from 1897 - 1901 executions moved to a hydraulic chamber until 1933 then shifted to gas chamber

FL supreme court 2020 case

you can't sentence people to death unless you have a unanimous jury decision, but FL supreme court reversed it so now the people on death row who were going to get relief can still be executed some justices are retiring and being replaced by more conservative people

Death Penalty In Class Handout

- estimated number of execution sin US history: 23,000 (only 19,000 documented) - 574 women executed in history (55 since 1900, only 16 since 1976) - 29 states still have the death penalty - there are about 2700 people on death row - CO has 3 people on death row, CA has biggest death row but they are in moratorium, then Florida and then Texas - 58% of people on death row are minorities which is a huge disparity compared to the demographics of the population - 1512 executions in the US post-Furman (22 juveniles, 16 women, 148 gave up their appeals, 79% convicted of killing whites) - Texas has the most executions with 56 post-Furman (37% of all executions), followed by Virginia, OK, FL and other states in the former Southern confederate union - 6 states have de-facto abolitions (not in law but not in practice and no executions this century): New Hampshire, Kansas, Wyoming, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Oregon - executions peaked in 1999 and have gone down since then - 166 people are sentenced to death in FL even though jury recommended them to life (4 have been executed), Alabama has 101 - 104 countries are completely abolitionist plus 30 de facto abolitionist - estimated cost of each execution in Florida: 3.2 million dollars (life imprisonment without parole costs 600,000) - support for the death penalty has gone down since 1994 (80%), now 60% of people prefer life without parole - 167 have been released from death row and exonerated because of innocence (29 in FL and 21 in Illinois) - among the last 92 executions in Florida, only 10 had killed black people - the odds of getting the death penalty for killing a white are over 3x higher - 288 death sentences have been commuted since 1972 - 22 juveniles executed between 1985 and 2002 - countries that still execute juveniles: Congo, Iran, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Yemen

First execution in 2020

1/16/20 John Gardner in TX, murdered wife in 2005 on, on death row for 15 years

Jimmy Meders death warrant

12/20/19 death warrant signed attorney general's death squad started lying and playing games with the goal of execution execution date is set for 7 pm on January 16, 2020 run for the roses: end stage litigation under death warrant - legal prong: you can't raise something at the end of the case that wasn't brought up in the beginning -clemency prong

how many people have been executed since 1972?

1500 148 gave up their appeals

David Baldis

1980s data collection over homicides in Georgia, those who kill whites are more likely to get death penalty than those who kill blacks

Ted Bundy kid

1981 --> Radelet was int he prions while Ted and Carol conceived baby and was there for the birth too

Jimmy Meders crime

3 guy (drunk and high) end up at a convenience store for an armed robbery and clerk was killed found meters with gun, money, and food stamps other 2 perpetrators weren't prosecuted Jimmy testified that they dropped him off at 5 pm and came back at 11 pm for his gun because they got in a fight with someone --> got hungry and stopped at store - police report shows Jimmy was telling the truth and the other 2 perps (witnesses) lied

pre-Furman executions

3,859 people were executed between 1930 and 1972 54% of those were black (only 10% of population) 2nd most common reason for death penalty was rape (89% were black raping white people) post-Furman race of victim matters - statistically white people are more likely to be sentenced to death because murder happens within your own race

DPIC 2019 findings

34 new death sentences in 2019 New Hampshire abolisehd - Renny Cushing - governor vetoed but senate overrode CA moratorium - no sentences commuted because the governor can't, jury and supreme court need to sign off - media watched as they took apart the gurney and execution chamber at San Quentin - citizen's initiative, not legislative Clifford Williams Jr.: released in March, 40 alibi witnesses were ignored, jury recommended life but judge sentenced death

death penalty and race (October 2019)

42% on death row are white, 41.6% are black

odds of death sentence for those who kill white people versus those who kill black people

4x higher

women on death row currently

53

Scottsborough Boys

Alabama black boys accused of raping two white women on the train eventually stye were pardoned 8/9 were sentenced to death but none were executed