Death Penalty (Capital Punishment)

Since 1966, the most executed in 1 year ____, __

999, 98 people

Since 1976, there have been ___ executions

1,612

Executions in 2025

6

Since what year has the number of executions decreased

1999

75% of murder victims in cases resulting in an execution were

White people

Nationally, how many murder victims are white?

50%

Black vs. White

A Black person is more likely to be given the death penalty for the same crime committed by a White person

Since 1973, there have been ___ exonerated (found innocent)

200

Intellectual Disabilities

• 2002: Supreme Court held in Atkins v. Virginia

• Unconstitutional to execute defendants with 'mental retardation.'

• The severely mentally ill are not exempt from death penalty

Is DP a deterrent for murder?

Pro execution = high murder rates (80% South)

5 Methods of Execution since 1976

• 1,428 (9) Lethal Injection

• 163 Electrocution

• 15 (6) Gas

• 4 Firing Squad

• 3 Hanging

Juveniles

• 2005, the Supreme Court in Roper v. Simmons

• Struck down their death penalty

• Since 1976, 22 defendants had been executed for offenses committed as juveniles.

Women

• 52 on death row as of March 11, 2024

• Constitutes 2.12%

• 18 executed since 1976.

Cost

State pays more on executions than keeping them in jail because of high demand defense lawyers and prosecution process

Evolution of Church’s Teachings

• Tolerable evil in the past

• DP is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability dignity of people

• DP is not intrinsically evil

• Society can be protected from killers by advancement of the penal system jails

Moral issues do not justify

Innocent, killing, fornication, abortion, same-sex activity