Comments on: Sentenced To Death Because Of Where You Live: The Death Penalty’s Geographic Bias http://www.libertyvoice.net/2009-07/sentenced-to-death-because-of-where-you-live-the-death-penalty%e2%80%99s-geographic-bias/ Freedom and internet Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:20:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Reggie Greene / The Logistician http://www.libertyvoice.net/2009-07/sentenced-to-death-because-of-where-you-live-the-death-penalty%e2%80%99s-geographic-bias/comment-page-1/#comment-244 Reggie Greene / The Logistician Mon, 20 Jul 2009 23:07:53 +0000 http://blog.aclu.org/?p=6086#comment-244 For those of you who have some questions about the death penalty, a read of a book entitled “Picking Cotton” will have an impact. <a href="http://tinyurl.com/d7aru8" rel="nofollow">It did for me</a>. For those of you who have some questions about the death penalty, a read of a book entitled “Picking Cotton” will have an impact. It did for me.

]]> By: Dudley Sharp http://www.libertyvoice.net/2009-07/sentenced-to-death-because-of-where-you-live-the-death-penalty%e2%80%99s-geographic-bias/comment-page-1/#comment-197 Dudley Sharp Fri, 10 Jul 2009 02:23:50 +0000 http://blog.aclu.org/?p=6086#comment-197 Of all the government programs in the world, that put innocents at risk, is there one with a safer record and with greater protections than the US death penalty? Unlikely. In choosing to end the death penalty, or in choosing not implement it, some have chosen to spare murderers at the cost of sacrificing more innocent lives. "The Death Penalty: More Protection for Innocents" http://homicidesurvivors.com/2009/07/05/the-death-penalty-more-protection-for-innocents.aspx Of all the government programs in the world, that put innocents at risk, is there one with a safer record and with greater protections than the US death penalty?

Unlikely.

In choosing to end the death penalty, or in choosing not implement it, some have chosen to spare murderers at the cost of sacrificing more innocent lives.

“The Death Penalty: More Protection for Innocents”
http://homicidesurvivors.com/2009/07/05/the-death-penalty-more-protection-for-innocents.aspx

]]> By: Dudley Sharp http://www.libertyvoice.net/2009-07/sentenced-to-death-because-of-where-you-live-the-death-penalty%e2%80%99s-geographic-bias/comment-page-1/#comment-196 Dudley Sharp Fri, 10 Jul 2009 02:19:14 +0000 http://blog.aclu.org/?p=6086#comment-196 Racial issues White murderers are twice as likely to be executed in the US as are black murderers and are executed, on average, 12 months more quickly than are black death row inmates. It is often stated that it is the race of the victim which decides who is prosecuted in death penalty cases. Although blacks and whites make up about an equal number of murder victims, capital cases are 6 times more likely to involve white victim murders than black victim murders. This, so the logic goes, is proof that the US only cares about white victims. Hardly. Only capital murders, not all murders, are subject to a capital indictment. Generally, a capital murder is limited to murders plus secondary aggravating factors, such as murders involving burglary, carjacking, rape, and additional murders, such as police murders, serial and multiple murders. White victims are, overwhelmingly, the victims under those circumstances, in ratios nearly identical to the cases found on death row. Any other racial combinations of defendants and/or their victims in death penalty cases, is a reflection of the crimes committed and not any racial bias within the system, as confirmed by studies from the Rand Corporation (1991), Smith College (1994), U of Maryland (2002), New Jersey Supreme Court (2003) and by a view of criminal justice statistics, within a framework of the secondary aggravating factors necessary for capital indictments. Socio-economicissues No one disputes that wealthier defendants can hire better lawyers and, therefore, should have a legal advantage over their poorer counterparts. The US has executed about 0.15% of all murderers since new death penalty statutes were enacted in 1973. Is there evidence that wealthier capital murderers are less likely to be executed than their poorer ilk, based upon the proportion of capital murders committed by different those different economic groups? Racial issues

White murderers are twice as likely to be executed in the US as are black murderers and are executed, on average, 12 months more quickly than are black death row inmates.

It is often stated that it is the race of the victim which decides who is prosecuted in death penalty cases. Although blacks and whites make up about an equal number of murder victims, capital cases are 6 times more likely to involve white victim murders than black victim murders. This, so the logic goes, is proof that the US only cares about white victims.

Hardly. Only capital murders, not all murders, are subject to a capital indictment. Generally, a capital murder is limited to murders plus secondary aggravating factors, such as murders involving burglary, carjacking, rape, and additional murders, such as police murders, serial and multiple murders. White victims are, overwhelmingly, the victims under those circumstances, in ratios nearly identical to the cases found on death row.

Any other racial combinations of defendants and/or their victims in death penalty cases, is a reflection of the crimes committed and not any racial bias within the system, as confirmed by studies from the Rand Corporation (1991), Smith College (1994), U of Maryland (2002), New Jersey Supreme Court (2003) and by a view of criminal justice statistics, within a framework of the secondary aggravating factors necessary for capital indictments.

Socio-economicissues

No one disputes that wealthier defendants can hire better lawyers and, therefore, should have a legal advantage over their poorer counterparts. The US has executed about 0.15% of all murderers since new death penalty statutes were enacted in 1973. Is there evidence that wealthier capital murderers are less likely to be executed than their poorer ilk, based upon the proportion of capital murders committed by different those different economic groups?

]]> By: Dudley Sharp http://www.libertyvoice.net/2009-07/sentenced-to-death-because-of-where-you-live-the-death-penalty%e2%80%99s-geographic-bias/comment-page-1/#comment-195 Dudley Sharp Fri, 10 Jul 2009 02:18:17 +0000 http://blog.aclu.org/?p=6086#comment-195 All the world's jurisdicitons have a varience with their criminal laws and sanctions. The death penalty is rare, partially because a very low percentage of murders are death penalty eligible. The US death penalty is likely the least arbitrary and capricious criminal sanctions in the world. About 10% of all murders within the US might qualify for a death penalty eligible trial. That would be about 60,000 murders since 1973. We have sentenced 7800 murderers to death since then, or 13% of those eligible. I doubt that there is any other crime which receives a higher percentage of maximum sentences, when mandatory sentences are not available. Based upon that, as well as pre trial, trial, appellate and clemency/commutation realities, All the world’s jurisdicitons have a varience with their criminal laws and sanctions.

The death penalty is rare, partially because a very low percentage of murders are death penalty eligible.

The US death penalty is likely the least arbitrary and capricious criminal sanctions in the world.

About 10% of all murders within the US might qualify for a death penalty eligible trial. That would be about 60,000 murders since 1973. We have sentenced 7800 murderers to death since then, or 13% of those eligible.

I doubt that there is any other crime which receives a higher percentage of maximum sentences, when mandatory sentences are not available. Based upon that, as well as pre trial, trial, appellate and clemency/commutation realities,

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