Death Penalty Updates


  • The infrequent use of the death penalty even in states with such as statute
  • Furthermore, the Court cited the lack of international use of such a punishment
    • This reasoning is quite notable (and vigorously denounced by death penalty advocates) because the Supreme Court has rarely considered international perspectives in any of its decisions-death penalty related or not.Whether or not this new international consideration will play a part in future capital punishment decisions remains to be seen.

    Doctors And Executions: A Complex Question Of Medicine, Ethics, And Law

    The role of doctors in executions has not only become a larger issue recently, but the issue has also expanded to include the legality and morality of lethal injections.

    Within the last two years, several executions were delayed due to questions of whether or not lethal injection constitutes cruel and unusual punishment.

    According to a study by the prominent British medical journal The Lancet, inmates who die by lethal injections may experience acute pain.

    Although there has not been a permanent stay of execution on the grounds of cruel and unusual punishment, in 2004 New Jersey became the first state to suspend the practice of lethal injection due to a lack of information about the consequences of such a method.

    A Downward Trend

    Much like the previous three years, we saw fewer death sentences and executions in 2004 and 2005.

    Following 2003's low point of only 65 executions, the 2004 numbers dropped even further as only 59 inmates were executed. Likewise, 2005 may set a new low as only 39 defendants have been executed through mid-September.

    However, much like the reasoning for the drop in numbers between 2000 and 2003, the current trend is not due to a shift in national opinion. Court rulings (such as Simmons v. Roper), scientific advancements (such as the use of DNA testing), and an increased selectivity by prosecutors have all played a major role in lowering the number of executions each year-a trend that is likely to continue into 2006 and beyond.

    For more articles on Crime and the Death Penalty, visit Crime at Suite101.com

    Next month: updates on international pressure, the death penalty in the military, capital punishment for the mentally ill, Kathy MacClellan's case, and the gubernatorial election in Virginia.

    The copyright of the article Death Penalty Updates in Capital Punishment is owned by Glenn Arnold. Permission to republish Death Penalty Updates in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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