Kadir Wisdom Kayla Daniels Jonathan Clarke Laurie Ann Sicot Michael Hartgrove

The Death Penalty

Kadir WisdomKayla DanielsJonathan ClarkeLaurie Ann SicotMichael Hartgrove

Legal Definition & Synonyms Death penalty: The court- ordered imposition of a sentence of

execution as punishment for a crime. (legal definition)

Synonyms for the death penalty Capital punishment Death sentence Death warrant Execution Legalized killing

Methods of execution Lethal Injection- In 1977, Oklahoma became the first state

to adopt lethal injection as a means of execution, though it would be five more years until Charles Brooks would become the first person executed by lethal injection in Texas on December 2, 1982. When this method is used, the condemned person is bound to a gurney and a member of the execution team uses a needle and finds a visible vein. At the wardens signal, the curtain is raised exposing the inmate to the witnesses as drops of the anesthesia is inserted in order for them to go to sleep. Next flows pavulon or pancuronium bromide, which paralyzes the entire muscle system and stops the inmate's breathing. Finally, the flow of potassium chloride stops the heart.

Methods of Execution continued…  Electrocution- New York built the first electric chair in 1888 and

executed William Kemmler in 1890. Other states soon adopted the same method. Electrocution was the only method in Nebraska until the State Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional in February of 2008. A jolt of between 500 and 2000 volts, that lasts for about 30 seconds, is given. The surges are then turned off, while the body seems to relax.. The doctors wait a few seconds for the body to cool down and then check to see if the inmate's heart is still beating. If it is, another jolt is applied. This continues until the inmate is dead.  

OTHER METHODS OF EXECUTION: Gas chamber, Hanging, Fire Squad

Cost of the death penalty

Time on death row

Executions & current rosterhttp://www.dc.state.fl.us/oth/vtour/deathrow.html

http://www.dc.state.fl.us/oth/deathrow/

http://www.dc.state.fl.us/activeinmates/deathrowroster.asp

A prayer to abolish the death penalty

God of Compassion,You let your rain fall on the just and the unjust.

Expand and deepen our heartsso that we may love as You love,

even those among uswho have caused the greatest pain by taking life.For there is in our land a great cry for vengeance

as we fill up death rows and kill the killersin the name of justice, in the name of peace.

Jesus, our brother,you suffered execution at the hands of the state

but you did not let hatred overcome you.Help us to reach out to victims of violence

so that our enduing love may help them heal.Holy Spirit of God,

You strengthen us in the struggle for justice.Help us to work tirelessly

for the abolition of state-sanctioned deathand to renew our society in its very heart so that violence will be no more. Amen

Sister Helen Prejean

Catholic View on the Death Penalty The Catholic Church opposes the death penalty in most if not

all cases and they speak out against it because it is a violation of one of the basic human rights, the right to life.

Sister Helen Prejean C.S.J. wrote a letter to a man on Louisiana’s death row convicted of the murders of two teens.

It had inspired her to dedicate her life to challenging the death penalty.

Sister Helen wrote a book about her experience with the convict and named it “Dead Man Walking”.

She was his spiritual advisor during his time on death row and she witnessed his death.

Sister Helen is now the spiritual advisor to two inmates that are on death row.

Supreme Court Cases Involving Death Penalty

Kennedy vs. Louisiana                   June 25, 2008

Patrick Kennedy was convicted and sentenced to death in Louisiana for the aggravated rape of his then 8 year-old stepdaughter. A Louisiana state statute authorized capital punishment for the rape of a child under 12. The Supreme Court concluded that the Eighth Amendment bars Louisiana from imposing the death penalty for the rape of a child where the crime did not result and was not even intended to result in the victim’s death.

Roper vs. Simmons March 1st, 2005 Donald P. Roper, Superintendent at Potosi

Correctional Center, pleaded with the Supreme Court to take away Christopher Simmons’ death sentence and give him life in jail. At age 17, Simmons planned and committed a capital murder. After he had turned 18, he was sentenced to death. The US Constitution prohibits the execution of a juvenile who was under 18 when he committed his crime. The Supreme Court held in favor of Simmons that the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments forbid imposition of the death penalty on offenders who were under the age of 18 when their crimes were committed.

Coker vs. Georgia June 29, 1977                          Erlich Anthony Coker, while serving

sentences for murder, rape, kidnapping, and assault, escaped from a Georgia jail. He broke into a house, raped and kidnapped the resident woman and took her car. Later Coker released the victim without any further physical injuries. He was eventually caught. The state of Georgia sentenced Coker to death on the rape charge. The US Supreme Court reversed that judgment on the grounds that death is an excessive penalty for rape.

Pros & Cons of the Death Penalty

Pros May deter people from committing crimes in the first

place that can result in receiving the death penalty.

Helps to give closure to the victim’s family after

suffering. It will help the family find solace in knowing

that the person who brought hurt on them is dead.

With possibility of being placed on parole or even

escaping from prison, the death penalty can deter the

convicted from committing the crime again.

Cons The condemned won’t be able to experience the horrors of prison and

truthfully there is no long term suffering. Life in prison is far worse than

the death penalty because inmates are vulnerable to being raped,

suffer from violence and not being treated like human beings.

It is possible that the person on death row could be completely

innocent.

The expenses of the housing, trial and state appeals that accompany

the death penalty will continue to rise when it is easier just keep

someone in prison for life.

There is often sympathy felt towards the person that could potentially

be placed on death row so people of the jury may not want to give the

death penalty.

There is a question raised; why kill someone to show that killing is

wrong?

Opinions