The Continuing Role of Race in Capital Cases

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the role of race in capital cases in the U.S.A by briefly examining the historical background, and then analyzing the relevant Supreme Court decisions that have affected or that reflect the issue. It also breaks the race issue into basic components, using statistical evidence and scholarly opinions to examine the ways in which race has been unfairly applied in racially charged decisions in capital death cases.
Outline
Introduction
Background
Historical Precedents: Significant Supreme Court Decisions
The Race of the Victim
Poverty, Race, and Legal Representation
Poor Legal Representation: Two Examples
Margins of Error: "A Broken System"
Discussion of Findings
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"The advent of globalization has brought a great many advances to contemporary society. In that light, the continued existence of capital punishment would seem to be an anachronism, especially in the United States. Although some would describe the U.S. as the wealthiest and most powerful country in the world, its persistence in clinging to an archaic system of punishment would seem to contradict this. A majority of countries have done away with the death penalty. However, the United States continues to practice it, making it one of the minority of countries that still do. According to Amnesty International, "in an increasingly abolitionist world, the USA's use of the death penalty does immense damage to its international image" (2003)."

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