V Introduction V Records

V History
V Surviving Executions
V Methods
V Religious views
V Botched Executions
V In arts and media
V Innocence
V Philosophy
V Reducing
Crime(Chart)
V Murder Rates
V Deterrence
V Discrimination
V Costs
V a
 

{ or the §  
 { is the
killing of a person by § 
 as a punishment
for an offense. Crimes that can result
in a death penalty are known as
Ú
 Ú or Ú
 
Ú .
The term Ú
  originates from
Latin Ú
  { literally "regarding
the head" (Latin Ú
). Hence{ a
capital crime was originally one
punished by the severing of the head.
V Execution of criminals and political opponents has been
used by nearly all societiesȄboth to punish crime and
to suppress political dissent. In most places that practice
capital punishment it is reserved for murder{ espionage{
treason{ or as part of military justice. In some countries
sexual crimes{ such as rape{ adultery{ incest and sodomy{
carry the death penalty{ as do religious crimes such as
apostasy in Islamic nations (the formal renunciation of
the State religion). In many countries that use the death
penalty{ drug trafficking is also a capital offense. In
China{ human trafficking and serious cases of
corruption are punished by the death penalty. In
militaries around the world courts-martial have
imposed death sentences for offenses such as cowardice{
desertion{ insubordination{ and mutiny.
 The use of formal execution extends to the
beginning of recorded history. Most historical records
and various primitive tribal practices indicate that the
death penalty was a part of their justice system.
Communal punishment for wrongdoing generally
included compensation by the wrongdoer{ corporal
punishment{ shunning{ banishment and execution.
Usually{ compensation and shunning were enough as a
form of justice. The response to crime committed by
neighbouring tribes or communities included formal
apology{ compensation or blood feuds.
 ¦ blood feud or vendetta occurs when
arbitration between families or tribes fails or an
arbitration system is non-existent. This form of justice
was common before the emergence of an arbitration
system based on state or organised religion. It may
result from crime{ land disputes or a code of honour.
"¦cts of retaliation underscore the ability of the social
collective to defend itself and demonstrate to enemies
(as well as potential allies) that injury to property{
rights{ or the person will not go unpunished."
However{ in practice{ it is often difficult to distinguish
between a war of vendetta and one of conquest.
 Severe historical
penalties include breaking
wheel{ boiling to death{
flaying{ slow slicing{
disembowelment{ crucifixion{
impalement{ crushing
(including crushing by
elephant){ stoning{ execution
by burning{ dismemberment{
sawing{ decapitation{
scaphism{ or necklacing. ¦narchist guillotined
in France in 1894
 Elaborations of tribal arbitration of feuds included
peace settlements often done in a religious context and
compensation system. Compensation was based on the
principle of   
 which might include material
(e.g. cattle{ slave) compensation{ exchange of brides or
grooms{ or payment of the blood debt. Settlement rules
could allow for animal blood to replace human blood{ or
transfers of property or blood money or in some case an
offer of a person for execution. The person offered for
execution did not have to be an original perpetrator of
the crime because the system was based on tribes{ not
individuals. Blood feuds could be regulated at meetings{
such as the Viking  . Systems deriving from blood
      { by
feuds may survive alongside more advanced legal systems
Π


or be given recognition by courts (e.g. trial by combat).
a
One of the more modern refinements of the blood feud is
the duel.
V 16th Century BC: First death sentence occurs in
Egypt.
V 7th Century BC: Draconian Code of ¦thens
provided the death penalty for all crimes.
V 399 BC: Greek philosopher Socrates is executed by
being forced to drink poison
V 29 ¦D: crucifixion of Jesus Christ
V 1279: 289 Jews were hanged
V 1531: Boiling to death was accepted as a death
penalty
V 1840: failed attempt to abolish the death penalty
V 1852-1853: Rhode Island{ Massachusetts{ and
Wisconsin abolish the death penalty
V 1907: Kansas uses the DzMaine Lawdz and abolishes
all slavery
V 1924: First execution by cyanide gas took place in
Nevada
V 1930: Mrs. Eva Dugan was the first female to be
executed in ¦rizona(sound button)
V 1965: Iowa{ New York{ West Virginia{ and Vermont
ended the death penalty
V 1987: Since this year{ there have been 8 cases of
innocent people being executed.
V 1989: U.S. Court ruled that people that are
retarded{ but legally sane can receive the death
penalty.
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¦
Virginia
Frank J. Coppola was executed by means of electrocution.
His head and one of his legs caught on fire.

¦

¦labama
John Evans was executed by means of electrocution.
The execution lasted 14 minutes and left Evans charred
and smoldering. ¦pparently{ the electrodes in Evans
had caught in fire.
June 28{ 2000
Missouri
Bert Leroy Hunter was executed by means of lethal injection.
He had unusual reactions to the lethal drugs. He coughed
repeatedly and gasped for air. He had violent convulsions.
He suffered a violent and agonizing death.

November 7{ 2001
Georgia
Jose High was executed by means of lethal injection.
The execution lasted one hour and nine minutes. It took the
doctors 39 minutes to find a usable vein. Eventually{ the first
Needle was stuck in Highǯs hand and the second between his
shoulder and his neck.
March 10{ 1992
Oklahoma
Robyn Lee Parks was executed by means of lethal
injection.He suffered a violent reaction to the drugs.
Two minutes after the drugs had been injected{ the
muscles in Robynǯs jaw{ neck{ and abdomen began to react
spasmodically for about 45 seconds.
He continued to gasp and violently gag until he died 11
minutes after the drugs had been injected.
 One problem with
the death penalty is that
there is no guarantee
that the convicted is
guilty.
 Chart explanation
D
1=Reducing Drug ¦buse
2=more jobs
 3=Simplifying court rules
D 4=longer sentencing

5=More police officers
6=Reducing guns

D
7=Expanding death penalty
The majority of the police
D chiefs in the U.S. do not

     believe that the death

 penalty reduces crime.
 The South contains over 80% of the nationǯs
executions{ yet it has the highest murder rate. The
Northeast has under 1% of all executions{ yet the
Northeast has the lowest murder rate.





DDDDD

D

  
 
  
 D
84% of former and D
present presidents of the D
countryǯs top academic D
criminological societies
D
say that the death penalty
D 


does not act as a deterrent
to murder. D

D
D
D

     
DD

DD

DD

DD
  

DD

DD

D

   
 98% of the chief district attorneys in death
penalty states are white. 1% are black.
Blacks receive the death penalty at a 38%
higher rate.
96% of the states where there were reviews of
race and death penalty{ there was a pattern of
race-of-victim or race-of-defendant
discrimination{ or both.
 In New York{ it costs approximately $23 million
per person.
In Tennessee{ the death penalty trials cost 48%
more than a life sentence trial.
In Kansas{ the investigation cost is 3x greater.
The trial cost is 16x greater. The appeal cost is 21x
greater.
1982-1997: Throughout the U.S.{ the extra cost of
capital trials was $1.6 billion.
In Indiana{ the total cost of the death penalty is
38% greater than the total cost of life without parole.
V The most executions took place between 1990-1999
when over 17{500 people were executed in China.
V In the United States{ Texas is the state that has the
most executions. Since 1976{ Texas is accountable
for 399 executions.
 Joseph Samuel was sentenced
to hang for murder in ¦ustralia
on Sept. 1{ 1803. The execution
failed when the rope broke. On
the second attempt{ the rope
stretched so far that his feet
touched the ground. The third
attempt failed when the second
replacement rope broke. Samuel
was reprieved.
¦nother man named John
Lee{ also survived three
hangings. This occurred in
Exeter{ Devon(UK) in 1885 when
the trap door failed to open all
three times.
 m§§ 

V There is disagreement among Buddhists as to whether or

not Buddhism forbids the death penalty. The first of the
Five Precepts (Panca-sila) is to abstain from destruction of
life. Chapter 10 of the Dhammapada states:
V Everyone fears punishment; everyone fears death{ just as
you do. Therefore do not kill or cause to kill. Everyone fears
punishment; everyone loves life{ as you do. Therefore do
not kill or cause to kill. Chapter 26{ the final chapter of the
Dhammapada{ states{ "Him I call a brahmin who has put
aside weapons and renounced violence toward all
creatures. He neither kills nor helps others to kill." These
sentences are interpreted by many Buddhists (especially in
the West) as an injunction against supporting any legal
measure which might lead to the death penalty.
V However{ as is often the case with the interpretation of
scripture{ there is dispute on this matter. Historically{
most states where the official religion is Buddhism
have imposed capital punishment for some offenses.
One notable exception is the abolition of the death
penalty by the Emperor Saga of Japan in 818. This
lasted until 1165{ although in private manors
executions continued to be conducted as a form of
retaliation. Japan still imposes the death penalty{
although some recent justice ministers have refused to
sign death warrants{ citing their Buddhist beliefs as
their reason. Other Buddhist-majority states vary in
their policy. For example{ Bhutan has abolished the
death penalty{ but Thailand still retains it{ although
Buddhism is the official religion in both.
 Τ 

V The official teachings of Judaism approve the death penalty

in principle but the standard of proof required for
application of death penalty is extremely stringent{ and in
practice{ it has been abolished by various Talmudic
decisions{ making the situations in which a death sentence
could be passed effectively impossible and hypothetical. ¦
capital case could not be tried by a normal m  of
three but can only be adjudicated by a   of a
minimum of twenty-three.Forty years before the
destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in 70 CE{ i.e. in 30
CE{ the Sanhedrin effectively abolished capital
punishment{ making it a hypothetical upper limit on the
severity of punishment{ fitting in finality for God alone to
use{ not fallible people.
V Most followers of Judaism either oppose the death penalty
altogether or support it only in extreme cases with absolute
proof{ such as well-documented cases of genocide.
V In law schools everywhere{ students read the famous
quotation from the 12th century legal scholar{ Maimonides{
V "It is better and more satisfactory to acquit a thousand
guilty persons than to put a single innocent one to death."
Maimonides argued that executing a defendant on
anything less than absolute certainty would lead to a
slippery slope of decreasing burdens of proof{ until we
would be convicting merely "according to the judge's
caprice." Maimonides was concerned about the need for
the law to guard itself in public perceptions{ to preserve its
majesty and retain the people's respect.
 

V Scholars of Islam hold it to be permissible but the victim or the family of

the victim has the right to pardon. In Islamic jurisprudence (Ô){ to
forbid what is not forbidden is forbidden. Consequently{ it is impossible
to make a case for abolition of the death penalty{ which is explicitly
endorsed.
V Sharia Law or Islamic law may require capital punishment{ there is great
variation within Islamic nations as to actual capital punishment.
¦postasy in Islam and stoning to death in Islam are controversial topics.
Furthermore{ as expressed in the Qur'an{ capital punishment is
condoned. ¦lthough the Qur'an prescribes the death penalty for several
  (fixed) crimesȄincluding rapeȄmurder is not among them.
Instead{ murder is treated as a civil crime and is covered by the law of
 (retaliation){ whereby the relatives of the victim decide whether
the offender is punished with death by the authorities or made to pay
  (wergild) as compensation.
V "If anyone kills personȄunless it be for murder or
for spreading mischief in the landȄit would be as
if he killed all people. ¦nd if anyone saves a life{ it
would be as if he saved the life of all people"
(Qur'an 5:32). "Spreading mischief in the land" can
mean many different things{ but is generally
interpreted to mean those crimes that affect the
community as a whole{ and destabilise the society.
Crimes that have fallen under this description have
included: (1) Treason{ when one helps an enemy of
the Muslim community; (2) ¦postasy{ when one
leaves the faith; (3) Land{ sea{ or air piracy; (4)
Rape; (5) ¦dultery; (6) Homosexual behaviour.
 a  
V ¦lthough some interpret that Jesus' teachings condemn the
death penalty in The Gospel of Luke and The Gospel of
Matthew regarding Turning the other cheek{ and John 8:7
in which Jesus intervenes in the stoning of an adulteress{
rebuking the mob with the phrase "may he who is without
sin cast the first stone"{ others consider Romans 13:3-4 to
support it. ¦lso{ Leviticus 20:2-27 has a whole list of
situations in which execution is supported. Christian
positions on this vary.[88] The sixth commandment (fifth in
the Roman Catholic and Lutheran churches) is preached as
'Thou shalt not kill' by some denominations and as 'Thou
shalt not murder' by others. ¦s some denominations do not
have a hard-line stance on the subject{ Christians of such
denominations are free to make a personal decision.
  
V The Gospels describe the execution of Jesus Christ at length{ and these accounts form
the central story of the Christian faith. Depictions of the crucifixion are abundant in
Christian art.
V Valerius Maximus' story of Damon and Pythias was long a famous example of fidelity.
Damon was sentenced to death (the reader does not learn why) and his friend Pythias
offered to take his place while Damon went to say his last farewells.
V "¦n Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" is a short story by ¦mbrose Bierce originally
published in 1890. The story deals with the hanging of a Confederate sympathiser
during the ¦merican Civil War.
V Dickens' ¦ 

 ends in the climactic execution of the book's main
character.
V Victor Hugo's   
 
  (
 Ú
 )
describes the thoughts of a condemned man just before his execution; also notable is
its preface{ in which Hugo argues at length against capital punishment.
V ¦naïs Nin's anthology Little Birds included an erotic depiction of a public execution.
V William Burroughs' novel Naked Lunch also included erotic and surreal depictions of
capital punishment. In the obscenity trial against Burroughs{ the defense claimed
successfully that the novel was a form of anti-death-penalty argument{ and therefore
had redeeming political value.
 Ô
 §  
V Capital punishment has been the basis of many motion pictures{ including
{      based on the book by Sister Helen Prejean{ 
!{ 
 "!  and  Ú  .
V The stage play (and later film) #$
  by Erik Jensen and Jessica
Blank
V The HBO series ^ focused on counter-perspectives for/against the death
penalty.
V 
m is a 2005 television series{ whose protagonist attempts to save
his brother from execution by devising a plan that will help them escape
from prison.
V The Film %% "& Is the True Story of a Young Understood Male{
who after being controversially accused{ is executed by hanging.
V Polish filmmaker Krzystof Kieslowski's 1988 film ¦
Ô¦
'
offers a stark look into the event of a cold-blooded murder and the eventual
hanging of the killer.
V 


  ( is a 2009 film about a girl who is subjected to
capital punishment by stoning.
V #$Ú 

! ! a 2009 film in a fictional UK where capital
punishment has been reinstated.
V Fourteen days in may is a BBC documentary film about a man condemned
to death. Later evidence reveals his innocence.
 p
V "16 on Death Row"{ a song from 2Pac's Posthumous ¦lbum R U Still Down?
(Remember Me)
V "Women's Prison"{ song from Loretta Lynn's Van Lear Rose album
V "25 Minutes to Go" is a song written by Shel Silverstein and sung by Johnny Cash ¦t
Folsom Prison and The Brothers Four.
V "The Mercy Seat" by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (also performed by Johnny Cash)
describes a man being executed via the electric chair who maintains his innocence
until he is about to die{ when he admits to his guilt.
V "Ride The Lightning" by Metallica is also about a man being executed via an electric
chair{ although he is not ultimately culpable{ as through insanity or loss of
autonomy.
V "Hallowed Be Thy Name" by Iron Maiden is about a man about be executed by
hanging.
V In "Green Green Grass of Home"{ the singer who is apparently returning home is
actually awaiting his execution.
V "Shock rock" star ¦lice Cooper will use three different methods of capital
punishment for his stage shows. The three are the guillotine{ the electric chair
(retired) and hanging (first method{ then retired{ then used on the 2007 tour).
V Ô
 is an album of songs performed by condemned prisoners in Uganda{
recorded by prisoners' rights charity ¦frican Prisons Project and available
online.[103]
V "Gallows Pole" is a centuries old folk song{ popularised by Lead Belly{ which has
seen several cover versions. Led Zeppelin covered the song in the 70's{ and was
subsequently revived by Page and Plant during their No Quarter acoustic tours.
V Two wrongs donǯt make a right.
V The death penalty is legalized murder.
V ¦ dollar spent is a dollar lost.
V Person commits a crime.
V Person is arrested for it.
V Person is sent to court and found guilty. He gets the death
penalty.
V Wrong#1: The person committed a crime.
V Wrong#2: He is being killed for it.
V Wrong#1+Wrong#2=2 Wrongs(Not a right)
V 2 Questions: Do you believe in the death penalty? Do you
believe 2 wrongs make a right? If you say Dzyesdz to one
question and Dznodz to the other{ then you have just
contradicted yourself.
 V Would you choose to take the life of a person who is no
longer a threat?
V ¦s citizens{ our choices and our actions matter. What we
choose{ what we do{ becomes who we are.
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