THE DEATH PENALTY



The Death Penalty

The Death Penalty

Answer 1

Since the 1970's, nearly all death sentences in the United States were introduced in the murder. There was intense debate over the constitutionality, effect, and the humanity of the death penalty, the charges of critics that executions are carried out inconsistently or, more broadly, that they violate the "cruel and unusual punishment" provision of the Eighth Amendment. Supporters of the death penalty counter that this provision is not intended to prohibit the death penalty. In the 1972 case of Furman v. Georgia, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the death penalty as then practiced was unconstitutional, because it is applied disproportionately certain classes of defendants, particularly those who were black or poor. This ruling overruled the federal and state death penalty laws then in force, but left the way open for Congress and state legislatures to enact new laws, the death penalty, a process that began almost immediately. In Gregg v. Georgia (1976), the court allowed capital punishment to resume in some states, in 1977, Gary Gilmore, executed for shooting in Utah, became the first to die under the new legislation. Today 38 states and the federal government once again use the death penalty.

A separate penalty phase of trial, during which the jury reviews the mitigating circumstances and weigh the need for the death penalty, are now required for some cases of capital. In 1982, Texas became the first state to carry out a prisoner using lethal injection; about 75% of executions are currently using this method. In the gas chamber, hanging, shooting at, and, often, the electric chair still used in some states, Florida in the electrocutions, however, were heavily criticized following several grisly malfunctions. Texas easily leads all other states in the number of executions. In recent years, the Supreme Court made it more difficult for prisoners on death penalty appeal, at the same time, continue research to show a striking disparity in the imposition of the death penalty.

At the dawn of 21 century, the death penalty is considered in most civilized nations as a cruel and inhuman punishment. It was abolished de jure or de facto by 106 states, 30 countries that have abolished it since 1990. However, the death penalty will continue to be widely applied in other countries. China, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the United States and Iran are the most prolific executioners in the world. ...