Death penalty

Archive for 'Death penalty'

Death penalty update: Political debates, public opinion

The legitimacy of the death penalty has emerged as a hot topic in the national conversation. Oregon’s governor declared a moratorium on executions, the execution of convicted murderer Troy Davis in September sparked controversy, and in October the Supreme Court heard a case whose outcome could affect the use of the death penalty.

Executions up, death sentences down

Two reports in early January highlighted the ongoing tumult in the national debate over the death penalty. A story in The New York Times looked at a prominent legal group’s decision to end its support for capital punishment. And the annual survey from the Death Penalty Information Center presented a mixed picture.

Death penalty debate: Morality and pragmatism

Americans seem to accept the death penalty as a fact of life, as polls show a steady 2-1 majority favor keeping capital punishment on the books. Yet that consistency can mask a simmering national debate about the efficacy, morality and even legitimacy of the death penalty.