Capital Punishment Essay: Death Penalty In The United States
Capital Punishment
Since 1976, when the Death Penalty was reinstated by the U.S. Supreme Court, 1,394 people have been executed [As of December 2014] (Fins). The Death Penalty also recognized as Capital Punishment is an immensely controversial problem in the United States. Although some criminal’s acts are unforgivable, all lives are sacred and nobody gets to decide who lives or dies. Americans should be against capital punishment because it claims innocent lives, it’s expensive, and it’s arbitrary.
Initially, the death penalty has claimed more innocent lives than of those who actually committed the crime. For instance, The New York State Defenders, who were a group of lawyers who specialized in representing people accused of crimes, found …show more content…
Yet we know that the judges and juries who are deciding on if they should go through with execution or not, are judging these people by their economic status, how much they are liked, and even the color of their skin. One might argue that the Death Penalty is never racially biased and those criminals were sent to execution for the crimes they committed. Recent studies show prosecutors seek the death penalty far more frequently when victim of a homicide is white than when the victim is African American or of another ethnic/racial origin” (International). The color of the defendant plays an enormous role in deciding who receives the Death Penalty in America. As early as the 1600’s African American, specifically African American men have been victims of racial injustice. For example, on September 21, 2011, the State of Georgia executed Troy Davis, an innocent black man, who was accused of killing a white off-duty police officer, despite the mass of evidence that proved he was innocent. A recent study revealed that it is still true that a systematic racial bias still exists today. Admittedly, the system now reserves the death penalty only for the worst offenders. But, we should not ignore the fact that nearly all death row inmates are unable to afford an attorney. According to Amnesty International, almost all death row inmates could not afford their own attorney at trial. Local politics, the location of the crime, plea baragaing, and pure chance affect the process and make it a lottery of who lives and dies. Since The U.S. Supreme Court reinstated in 1976, 82% of all executions have taken place in the South (International). As Americans, we a right to an attorney if you cannot pay for afford one. Without having good representation in court defendants are forced to have to use underpaid and overworked lawyers, which in some cases the lawyers
Since 1976, when the Death Penalty was reinstated by the U.S. Supreme Court, 1,394 people have been executed [As of December 2014] (Fins). The Death Penalty also recognized as Capital Punishment is an immensely controversial problem in the United States. Although some criminal’s acts are unforgivable, all lives are sacred and nobody gets to decide who lives or dies. Americans should be against capital punishment because it claims innocent lives, it’s expensive, and it’s arbitrary.
Initially, the death penalty has claimed more innocent lives than of those who actually committed the crime. For instance, The New York State Defenders, who were a group of lawyers who specialized in representing people accused of crimes, found …show more content…
Yet we know that the judges and juries who are deciding on if they should go through with execution or not, are judging these people by their economic status, how much they are liked, and even the color of their skin. One might argue that the Death Penalty is never racially biased and those criminals were sent to execution for the crimes they committed. Recent studies show prosecutors seek the death penalty far more frequently when victim of a homicide is white than when the victim is African American or of another ethnic/racial origin” (International). The color of the defendant plays an enormous role in deciding who receives the Death Penalty in America. As early as the 1600’s African American, specifically African American men have been victims of racial injustice. For example, on September 21, 2011, the State of Georgia executed Troy Davis, an innocent black man, who was accused of killing a white off-duty police officer, despite the mass of evidence that proved he was innocent. A recent study revealed that it is still true that a systematic racial bias still exists today. Admittedly, the system now reserves the death penalty only for the worst offenders. But, we should not ignore the fact that nearly all death row inmates are unable to afford an attorney. According to Amnesty International, almost all death row inmates could not afford their own attorney at trial. Local politics, the location of the crime, plea baragaing, and pure chance affect the process and make it a lottery of who lives and dies. Since The U.S. Supreme Court reinstated in 1976, 82% of all executions have taken place in the South (International). As Americans, we a right to an attorney if you cannot pay for afford one. Without having good representation in court defendants are forced to have to use underpaid and overworked lawyers, which in some cases the lawyers