The death penalty has been used more frequently in the United States over the past few decades. This controversial topic is unconstitutional. Although many believe the death penalty to be cruel and unconstitutional, it has been used to bring justice on criminals and prevent further crimes.
Capital cases are influenced by race
Race has played a major role in the history of death penalty. Race also affects the frequency with which people are sentenced.
The majority of capital cases in the United States involved white victims during the early years. This trend continued into the 20th century. Some southern states discriminated explicitly against blacks. Legal lynchings were used during the Jim Crow era to enforce social control over blacks. These lynchings resulted in state-ordered executions.
For many years, the topic of racial discrimination in death penalty has been controversial. Research has shown that people of colour are more likely to be incarcerated or convicted of crimes. This can be attributed to poverty, unemployment, substance abuse and white racism.
However, the Supreme Court has resisted the temptation to address the issue of race in capital punishment debates. It is not clear if the court ignores the possibility of racial discrimination when imposing death sentences.
Capital punishment does not have to be cruel or unusual.
The facts of each case will determine whether the death penalty is cruel or unusual punishment. The Eighth Amendment prohibits the government from imposing cruel or unusual punishments. The Supreme Court in the United States has found that certain cases are indeed cruel and unusual punishments.
The Supreme Court ruled in Furman v. Georgia that the death penalty was not allowed under the Eighth Amendment. The court examined a variety of state statutes, facts, and other relevant information.
The American Law Institute (ALI), has stated that capital punishment can be arbitrarily imposed and is fraught with racial disparities. Capital crimes often involve emotionally traumatized people, such as those who are mentally ill or under the influence of drugs. The ALI stated that indigent people do not have access to quality legal representation.
In 1976, the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (NCAAP) was created to offer legal support to death row inmates. It is the oldest non-profit anti-death penalty organization in the country.
To ensure that capital punishment is not applied in adisproportionate manner, we invoke the ancient legal principle Lex Talionis (talion).
The ancient legal principle Lex Talionis (talion), was used historically to ensure fair capital punishment. It is closely linked to the Abrahamic faiths of Judaism and Christianity as well as Islam.
This principle was developed in Mesopotamia and the ancient Near East to ensure that capital punishment is not applied too heavily. It also served to deter future criminals.
There are many types of capital punishment. The most common is the death of the offender. This method of execution has been adopted by many societies over the years. Some jurisdictions apply the punishment immediately after the offender has been convicted. In others, the sentence can be delayed until an appeal is made.
Some of the most cruel executions include burning at the stake and crucifixion. In some cases, torture has been used in conjunction with the talion.
Execution drugs for death row executions
There have been legal challenges in the United States against execution drugs that are used in death row executions. While some states have adopted a one drug protocol, others are looking at alternatives. Deceptive methods of procuring drugs have been the subject of lawsuits by pharmaceutical companies.
Some states are now attempting to hide the identities of drug suppliers. To protect their sources, they use “secrecy laws”. They are also withholding dosage levels. They may withhold the names of compounding pharmacies in some cases. They withhold information about law enforcement and biological agents in other cases.
Researchers from the University of Miami evaluated toxicology reports from three states, Arizona, Georgia, and Virginia, in a recent study. Researchers found that several executions were performed with the benzodiazepine-midazolam. According to the authors of the study, their findings suggest that lethal injections should be reviewed by the public. The authors did not make any recommendations regarding the protocol.
Oklahoma granted midazolam execution rights in 2015 after a ruling. It was used instead of Thiopental, which had previously been used in four Arkansas executions.
