The Death Penalty

1. The Death Penalty Amelia Perry Advanced English 12 October 16, 2009

2. Types of Execution • Lethal injection - is the most common form of execution. • Electrocution • Gas Chamber • Firing Squad • Hanging

4. Inhumane • American Veterinary Medical Association banned used Pancurium bromide (2nd dose in lethal injection) because of the potential of it being extremely painful

5. Botched Executions • There are 42 examples of botched executions • 2 by asphyxiation, 10 by electrocution, 30 by lethal injection • On averaged the botched executions took 20 minutes or more • States do no make public, maintain, or even keep record of their executions • So there is no way of truly knowing just how many botched execution there are

6. Examples of Botched Executions • Angel Diaz • After the first injection he continued to move then a second dose was administered • It took 34 minutes from the first injection to when he was declared dead • Romell Broom • September 15, 2009 • Took more than 2 hours to find a suitable vein • Ohio Governor Ted Strickland ordered the execution to stop, and a one-week delay so that physicians could be consulted to find a more suitable way to kill him

7. Cost • California • $137 million per year with current system • $232.7 million with present system with reforms recommended to ensure fair process • $11.5 million per year if all death row inmates were on lifetime incarcerations

8. Break down of the cost • People v. Scott Peterson • Death Penalty Trial • $3.2 million total

9. Death Penalty Trial v. Life Incarceration Trial The death penalty is expensivenot only for big states like California who have over 600 people on death row but for even the small states North Carolina spends about $2.16 million per execution

10. INNOCENCE • There have been 133 death row exonerations since 1973 • On average the person served 9 ½ years from the time they were sentenced to death until exoneration

11. Innocence • Cameron Todd Willingham • Sentenced to death in 2004 • Accused of setting the fire that killed his three daughters 2 days before Christmas • Thought innocent in 2005 • “Every expert who has looked at this case has determined there was no reason to call it arson.” • Craig Beyler, chairman of the London-based International Association for Fire Science Safety

12. DNA Exonerations of Death Row Inmates • Kirk Bloodsworth – served 8 years • Rolando Cruz – served 10.5 years • Ron Williamson – served 11 years • Kennedy Brewer – served 7 years • Earl Washington – served 17 years in Virginia • These innocent people could have been put to death • These cases are based on DNA Exonerations only

13. Deterrence -Most states without the death penalty have lower homicide rates than states with the death penalty

14. Retribution • Some people look at the death penalty as revenge for what the criminal did to them • Nothing can take back what the criminal did, nothing can bring back a person the criminal may have killed • “To kill the person who has killed someone close to you is simply to continue the cycle of violence.” • Raymon A. Schroth

15. Conclusion • There is nothing positive to taking a human life, even if they are a criminal • It is an inhumane practice and a cruel and unusual form of punishment • Innocent people have suffered and put to death • There is no reason to kill someone, when there are alternatives • The cost is outrageous and the money could be used in a better way • The death penalty is not the answer for justice