By: Alexa Marsicek

The Death Penalty

† Eighteenth century B.C.† First established death penalty laws

† 1834 A.D.† Pennsylvania becomes the first state to move executions into correctional facilities

† 1907-1917† Nine states eliminate the death penalty for all crimes or strictly limit it.

† 1930’s† Executions reach the highest levels in American history-average 167 per year

† 1977† Oklahoma becomes the first state to adopt lethal injection

† 1986† Banning of the execution of insane persons

† 1989† Eighth Amendment does not prohibit the death penalty for crimes committed at age

sixteen or seventeen† 2005

† The United States Supreme Court ruled that the death penalty for those who had committed crimes under 18 years of age is a cruel and unusual punishment.

History of the Death Penalty

Methods of Execution

Hanging

Lethal Injection

Electrocution

Lethal Gas

Short DropThe prisoner usually was hung from a treeWas usually carried out in public

Suspension HangingHave hydraulic mechanisms for raising the prisoners

Standard DropDrop between 4 and 5 feetMany still died by strangulationSome were knocked unconscious

Long Drop or Measured DropDesigned to break the prisoner’s neck at a pre-determined

distanceRemoved most of the prisoner’s physical sufferingDetermined by the prisoner’s weight

Hanging

ElectrocutionFirst electric chair designed in 1888Martha Place was the first woman to die in the electric chairSecond most common method of executionUsually there are two shocks given and it lasts about 2 minutes and 10 secondsLeather belts are strapped across the prisoner and a leather face mask is put on10 electrocutions in the 21st century

December 7th 1982-first lethal injectionSteps for execution…

Strapped to a gurneyTwo catheters inserted into two veins on each

armFlushed with Heparin solution

Three different chemicals are injected into each veinSodium thiopentalPancuronium bromidePotassium chloride

Takes about 3-5 minutes for the prisoner to die

Lethal Injection

• Originally proposed by Dr. Allen McLean Hamilton• Hydrogen cyanide gas is released into the chamber

to kill the prisoner• The prisoners die from hypoxia• The effects of breathing this in are…

• Spasms• Inability to breathe • Pain and extreme anxiety• Loss of consciousness after 1-3 minutes• Death

• It takes an average of 9.3 minutes for the prisoner to die

Lethal Gas

Pros• Lower crime levels

(deterrents) • Some people who

are freed from death row are back in prison with new charges

• Lowers cost of prison population upkeep

• Murder• Mistaken convictions• Inhumane

The Debate of the Death Penalty

Cons

By: Alexa Marsicek

The Death Penalty

http://www.capitalpunishmentuk.org/hanging.html

http://www.capitalpunishmentuk.org/gascham.html

http://www.capitalpunishmentuk.org/injection.html

http://www.capitalpunishmentuk.org/chair.html

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/execution/readings/history.html

Willing, Richard. “Foes of Death Penalty Rising: Activists Gaining Unlikely Allies in…” USA Today (Feb. 1999)

Shapiro, Joseph. “The Wrong Men on Death Row.” U.S. News & World Report (Nov. 1998)

Works Cited