Death Penalty Update

Aseries of shocking murders in the past few years has focused public attention once again on the death penalty. The deaths caused by the Oklahoma City bombers, the “Unabomber” and others have lent support to advocates of capital punishment. They continue to argue that capital punishment not only deters crime but also helps the families of murder victims find ”closure.” But opponents call for reform, if not abolition, of the death penalty. They point to disturbing evidence that non-white offenders are more likely to be executed for their crimes than white offenders and that poor inmates often don't receive adequate legal counsel. As proof they cite the cases of 75 people released from death row after courts reversed their convictions.