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Understanding capital punishment law / Linda E. Carter, Ellen S. Kreitzberg, Scott W. Howe.
Carter, Linda E., author.; Kreitzberg, Ellen, author.; Howe, Scott W., author.
2018
KF9227.C2 C36 2018 (Map It)
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Author
Carter, Linda E., author.
Title
Understanding capital punishment law / Linda E. Carter, Ellen S. Kreitzberg, Scott W. Howe.
Published
Durham, North Carolina : Carolina Academic Press, [2018]
Call Number
KF9227.C2 C36 2018
Edition
Fourth edition.
ISBN
9781531008567 (alk. paper)
1531008569 (alk. paper)
9781531008574 (e-ISBN)
Description
xxi, 537 pages ; 26 cm.
System Control No.
(OCoLC)1013509032
Summary
"[This book provides] an explanation of the constitutional law that governs death penalty proceedings in the United States. As of 2017, the death penalty remains an option in 31 states and under federal and military law. The cruel and unusual punishment language of the Eighth Amendment has largely defined both the substance and procedures in capital cases. In this book, the parameters of death penalty cases are examined, and established principles as well as unresolved issues are analyzed. In the few years since the third edition, significant changes have occurred in death penalty law, procedure, and practice. The fourth edition presents the most up-to-date information and trends in death penalty law."-- Provided by publisher.
Bibliography, etc. Note
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Series
Understanding series (New York, N.Y.)
Other Editions
Revision of: Carter, Linda E. Understanding capital punishment law. 3rd ed. New Providence, NJ : LexisNexis, ©2012 9780769849027 (DLC) 2012016981
Record Appears in
Onsite Print Resources
Shared Records
All Resources
Gift
Purchased from the income of the Soll Fund
Added Author
Kreitzberg, Ellen, author.
Howe, Scott W., author.
Gift
The Arthur W. Diamond Law Library
Purchased from the income of the Soll Fund
Preface
xxi
ch. 1
Introduction to Capital Punishment Law
3
1.01.
Capital Punishment Controversy in The Twenty-First Century
3
1.02.
Capital Trials in the United States: The Importance of Constitutional Law
4
A.
Overview
4
B.
Organization of the Chapters on the Constitutional Constraints on Capital Punishment
7
ch. 2
Death Penalty Debate
9
2.01.
Major Arguments for and Against the Death Penalty
9
2.02.
Penological Purposes
10
A.
Deterrence
10
B.
Retribution
15
2.03.
Systemic Fairness
18
2.04.
Financial Costs of the Death Penalty
20
ch. 3
Sources of Law
25
3.01.
Overview
25
3.02.
State and Federal Statutory Law and State Constitutional Law
25
3.03.
United States Constitutional Provisions
25
3.04.
Importance of Federal Constitutional Law
26
3.05.
Constitutional Premises
27
A.
Federalism
27
B.
"Death Is Different"
27
3.06.
Case Law
28
3.07.
Treaties
28
ch. 4
Challenges to the Constitutionality of the Death Penalty
29
4.01.
Overview of Constitutional Challenges to the Death Penalty
29
4.02.
Challenges to the Arbitrariness of the Death Penalty
29
A.
Due Process Challenge
30
B.
Cruel and Unusual Punishment Challenge
31
4.03.
Challenge to the Death Penalty as Per Se Unconstitutional
33
A.
Overview
33
B.
Acceptability of the Punishment to Contemporary Society: Evolving Standards of Decency
33
C.
Principle of Human Dignity: The Independent Evaluation of Excessive Punishments
33
4.04.
Challenges to the Proportionality of the Death Penalty
34
A.
Overview
34
B.
Proportionality as an Eighth Amendment Principle
35
C.
First Prong: Contemporary Standards of Decency
37
1.
Whose Views Count?
37
2.
Statistical Interpretation
39
D.
Second Prong: Furthering Goals of Punishment
39
ch. 5
Methods of Execution
41
5.01.
Overview
41
5.02.
Legal Challenges to Methods of Execution: Analytical Framework
43
5.03.
Challenges to Method of Execution Before Lethal Injection
44
A.
Overview
44
B.
Firing Squad
45
C.
Hanging
46
D.
Lethal Gas
47
E.
Electrocution
48
5.04.
Challenges to Lethal Injection as a Method of Execution
50
A.
Overview
50
B.
Baze v. Rees
52
C.
California Litigation: Morales v. Tilton
53
D.
Post-Baze Changes to the Three-Drug Lethal Injection Protocol
55
1.
Three-Drug Protocol
55
2.
Two-Drug Protocol
56
3.
One-Drug Protocol
57
E.
Glossip v. Gross
58
F.
Administrative Procedure Act Violations
58
G.
Source of Drugs Litigation
60
H.
Compounding Pharmacies
63
I.
Secrecy Legislation
66
J.
Food and Drug Administration Litigation
67
5.05.
Botched Executions
69
5.06.
Role of Physicians in Lethal Injection Executions
72
ch. 6
Modern Death Penalty Statutes
75
6.01.
Overview
75
6.02.
Furman v. Georgia
76
6.03.
Georgia Statute
76
6.04.
Florida Statute
78
6.05.
Texas Statute
80
6.06.
Mandatory Statutes: Louisiana and North Carolina
82
6.07.
Variations on Death Penalty Statutes: Guilt-Phase Determination of Aggravating Circumstances; Judge Sentencing; and Beyond a Reasonable Doubt Standard to Impose Death
83
A.
Guilt-Phase Determination of Aggravating Circumstances: California
84
B.
Judge Sentencing: The Nebraska and Alabama Approaches
85
C.
Beyond a Reasonable Doubt Standard to Impose Death: Utah
87
ch. 7
Death Penalty Trial
89
7.01.
Bifurcated Trial
89
7.02.
Penalty Phase
90
A.
Decision Making by Jury
91
7.03.
Decision Process
93
A.
Structure: Weighing v. Non-Weighing
93
7.04.
Automatic Appeal
94
7.05.
Jury Selection
95
A.
Overview
95
B.
Challenges to the Panel
96
C.
Challenges to Individual Jurors
97
D.
"Death Qualification" of a Capital Jury: Juror Attitudes Towards the Death Penalty
98
E.
"Reverse" Witherspoon: Jurors who are "Mitigation Impaired"
101
F.
Improper Inclusion or Exclusion of Jurors Challenged for Cause
101
7.06.
Peremptory Challenges: Discriminatory Use
102
ch. 8
Categorical Bars to the Death Penalty
109
8.01.
Overview of Categorical Bars to the Death Penalty
109
A.
Categories of Defendants or Crimes
109
B.
Challenges to the Proportionality of the Death Penalty for Categories of Defendants and Crimes
110
8.02.
Felony Murder and the "Non-Killer" Accomplice
112
A.
Overview
112
B.
Categorical Bar for a Non-Killer Accomplice Without Mens Rea
114
1.
Enmund v. Florida
114
2.
Tison v. Arizona
115
C.
How Is the Categorical Bar Applied?
118
1.
How Do the Courts Apply the Major Participant Reckless Indifference Test?
118
2.
Who Decides the Major Participant Reckless Indifference Issue?
119
8.03.
Persons Who Are Mentally Retarded or Intellectually Disabled
120
A.
Overview
120
B.
Between Penry and Atkins
121
C.
Court's Proportionality Review
122
D.
Dissent's Proportionality Review
123
E.
Post-Atkins Procedures
124
8.04.
Juveniles
126
A.
Overview
126
B.
Road to Roper v. Simmons and the Abolition of the Juvenile Death Penalty
127
1.
Fifteen-Year-Olds
127
2.
Sixteen- and Seventeen-Year-Old Juveniles
129
C.
Roper v. Simmons: The Death Penalty Is Unconstitutional for Juveniles
131
8.05.
Non-Murder Crimes
133
A.
Overview
133
B.
Rape of an Adult Woman: Coker v. Georgia
134
1.
Decision
134
2.
Rape, Race, and the Death Penalty
135
C.
Rape of a Child: Kennedy v. Louisiana
136
D.
Crimes Against the Government
138
E.
Drug Kingpins
140
ch. 9
Overview of Aggravating Evidence: The Eligibility Function and the Selection Function
141
9.01.
Overview
141
9.02.
Aggravating Evidence and Narrowing
143
A.
Eligibility/Narrowing in the Penalty Phase
144
B.
Narrowing During the Guilt Phase
145
C.
Hybrid: The California Model
146
9.03.
Selection Decision in the Penalty Phase
147
ch. 10
Aggravating Circumstances: Eligibility of the Case for the Death Penalty
151
10.01.
Constitutional Constraints on Aggravating Circumstances
151
10.02.
Aggravating Circumstances as "Elements" of a Capital Case
153
10.03.
Challenges to Aggravating Circumstances: Vagueness
154
A.
Eighth Amendment Vagueness v. Due Process Vagueness
154
B.
Eighth Amendment Vagueness Challenges
155
1.
"Outrageously or Wantonly Vile, Horrible or Inhuman": Constitutional on Its Face
155
2.
"Outrageously or Wantonly Vile": Unconstitutionally Vague as Applied
155
3.
Other "Heinous" Aggravating Circumstances: State Court Narrowing Interpretations
156
10.04.
Challenges to Aggravating Circumstances: Duplicative of the Crime
158
ch. 11
Aggravating Evidence and the Selection Decision
161
11.01.
Eligibility and Selection Decision
161
A.
Overview
161
B.
Use of the Aggravating Evidence in the Selection Decision: Weighing v. Non-Weighing Statutes
162
11.02.
Evidence of Future Dangerousness
163
A.
Overview
163
B.
Can Experts Predict Future Dangerousness?
165
C.
Constitutional Issues with Psychiatric Interviews
167
1.
Overview
167
2.
Basic Fifth and Sixth Amendment Analysis
168
3.
Constitutional Violations and Psychiatric Interviews
169
4.
Waiver of Constitutional Rights
169
11.03.
Victim Impact Evidence
170
A.
Overview
170
B.
From Booth to Payne
171
C.
Limits on Victim Impact Evidence
172
D.
Examples of Victim Impact Evidence Admitted at Trial Since Payne
175
11.04.
Non-Statutory Aggravating Factors at Sentencing
176
A.
Overview
176
B.
Statutory Approaches to Non-Statutory Aggravating Evidence
178
ch. 12
Selection Process: Mitigation
181
12.01.
Overview
181
12.02.
Admissibility of Mitigation: The Legacy of Lockett
182
A.
"No Preclusion" Principle of Lockett
182
1.
Lockett v. Ohio: The Facts
182
2.
Lockett v. Ohio: The Constitutional Standard
183
B.
Expansion of the Lockett Doctrine
184
12.03.
Limits of the Lockett Doctrine
185
A.
Irrelevant Evidence
185
B.
Structuring the Use of Mitigating Evidence
187
1.
Sentencing Structure Must Allow for the Consideration of Mitigation by Individual Jurors
188
a.
Sentencer Must Listen
188
b.
Sentencing Structure Must Give Effect to the Mitigation
188
c.
Mitigation Decisions by Individual Jurors
190
2.
State Variation Allowed in Structuring How the Sentencer Uses Mitigating Evidence
191
a.
Mitigation Relevant Only to Future Dangerousness
191
b.
Burden of Persuasion on Mitigation
193
12.04.
Constitutional Right to Assistance of Experts
195
A.
Overview
195
B.
Ake v. Oklahoma
196
C.
Post-Ake Issues
198
1.
Independent v. Neutral Experts
198
2.
Types of Experts
199
3.
Expert Assistance to Rebut Non-Expert Evidence of Future Dangerousness
200
ch. 13
Selection Process: The Life or Death Decision
201
13.01.
Overview
201
13.02.
No Constitutionally Mandated Formula: Variations in Decision-Making Structure
203
A.
Highly Structured Format: The Texas System of Specific Questions
203
B.
Unstructured, Open-Ended Format: The Georgia Process of General Consideration of All Evidence
205
C.
Mandatory Results
205
D.
Discretionary Results
206
13.03.
Burden of Persuasion and Judge or Jury Issues
206
A.
Burden of Persuasion
206
B.
Judge or Jury?
209
13.04.
Constitutional Limitation on the Sentencing Process: Cannot Affirmatively Mislead Regarding Role and Responsibility of Decision-Maker
212
13.05.
Information About Defendant's Potential Release: Commutation and Parole
214
A.
Overview
214
B.
Commutation Power of Governor
214
C.
Meaning of "Life With Parole"
217
D.
Effect of Hung Jury
220
13.06.
Dual Requirements of Guided Discretion and Individualized Consideration
221
ch. 14
Direct Appeals
227
14.01.
Overview of Statutory Approaches
227
14.02.
Harmless Error in General
228
14.03.
Appellate Role When Aggravating Circumstance Invalidated
230
14.04.
Is It Possible to Determine the Effect of Error on a Death/Life Decision?
236
14.05.
Double Jeopardy
236
A.
General Principles of Double Jeopardy and Collateral Estoppel
236
B.
Double Jeopardy and Collateral Estoppel in Capital Cases
238
C.
Statutorily Imposed Life Imprisonment After a Hung Jury
240
ch. 15
Postconviction Proceedings: The Writ of Habeas Corpus
245
15.01.
Overview
245
15.02.
Nature of a Habeas Proceeding
247
15.03.
Habeas Process
248
A.
Statute of Limitations and Basis of Claim
248
B.
Exhaustion of State Remedies
250
C.
Adequate and Independent State Grounds: Procedural Default of Constitutional Claims
250
D.
Evidentiary Hearings
253
15.04.
Grounds for Granting a Writ of Habeas Corpus
255
A.
Non-Retroactivity
255
B.
Contrary to or Unreasonable Applications of the Law or Unreasonable Determinations of Facts
257
1.
Contrary to or an Unreasonable Application of Clearly Established Federal Law
258
2.
Unreasonable Application and Unreasonable Determination of Facts
260
C.
Harmless Error
261
15.05.
Successive Petitions
262
ch. 16
Ineffective Assistance of Counsel
265
16.01.
Overview
265
A.
Role of Defense Counsel in Capital Cases
265
B.
Ineffective Assistance of Counsel in a Capital Case
266
C.
Raising a Claim of Ineffective Assistance of Counsel
267
16.02.
Right to Counsel
267
A.
Introduction
267
B.
Scottsboro Case: A Failure to Provide Effective Representation
267
C.
Gideon: Recognition of a Fundamental Need for Counsel in Criminal Cases
269
16.03.
Strickland: Development of a Test for Ineffective Assistance of Counsel
270
A.
Introduction
270
B.
Case: Strickland v. Washington
270
C.
Two-Prong Test
271
D.
Applying the Two-Prong Test
272
16.04.
Ineffective Assistance of Counsel: The First Prong: Deficient Performance
273
A.
Overview
273
B.
Duty to Investigate and Present Penalty Phase Evidence
273
16.05.
ABA Guidelines for the Representation of Criminal Defendants in Death Penalty Cases
280
16.06.
Ineffective Assistance of Counsel: The Second Prong: Prejudice
282
A.
Overview
282
B.
Prejudice in a Penalty Phase
282
16.07.
Ineffective Assistance of Counsel: Presumption of Prejudice
284
A.
Overview
284
B.
Complete Breakdown of Adversary System
284
C.
Conflict of Interest
286
D.
Mentally Impaired, Drug Addicted, or Alcoholic Lawyer
287
E.
Sleeping Lawyer
288
16.08.
Conclusion
289
ch. 17
Innocence
291
17.01.
Overview
291
A.
What Is Innocence?
291
B.
Facts and Figures
291
C.
Direct Appeal and Claims of Innocence
293
D.
Habeas Corpus and Claims of Innocence
294
E.
Freestanding Claim of Innocence versus Innocence as a Gateway Claim
296
17.02.
Innocent of the Crime
297
A.
Is It Unconstitutional to Execute an Innocent Person?
297
B.
Freestanding Claims of Actual Innocence
299
1.
Herrera v. Collins
299
2.
House v. Bell
301
C.
Innocence as a Gateway to Consideration of Constitutional Error
302
D.
Effect of the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act (AEDPA)
304
17.03.
Evidence of Innocence
305
A.
DNA Evidence
305
B.
Non-DNA Forensic Evidence and Crime Labs
308
C.
Police and Prosecutorial Misconduct
313
17.04.
Legislative Response
315
17.05.
New Voices on Innocence and the Death Penalty
316
17.06.
Current Debate and Controversy
319
ch. 18
Clemency
323
18.01.
Overview
323
18.02.
Function of Clemency
325
18.03.
How Clemency Works
326
A.
How Often Is Clemency Granted?
326
B.
How Is Clemency Decided?
327
1.
Process
327
2.
Reasons to Grant Clemency
328
18.04.
Due Process Restrictions on Clemency
330
A.
'Minimal" Due Process: The Woodard Case
330
B.
Post-Woodard Cases
331
18.05.
Criticisms and Defense of the Clemency Process
333
A.
Misguided Reliance on Clemency to Justify Limiting Judicial Review
333
B.
Politics of Clemency
334
C.
Lack of Procedures
335
D.
Response: In Defense of Clemency as Political and Unregulated
336
ch. 19
Death Row Issues: Insanity and Death Row Phenomenon
339
19.01.
Insanity or Incompetency at the Time of Execution
339
A.
Eighth Amendment Prohibition Against Executing the Insane
339
1.
Nature of the Issue
339
2.
Ford Opinion
339
3.
What Is Meant by "Insane" or "Incompetent" at Time of Execution?
340
4.
Panetti Opinion
342
5.
What Procedure Is Required?
343
B.
"Medicate-to-Execute" Issues
344
1.
Nature of the Issue
344
2.
Overview of the Legal Issues
345
3.
Constitutionality of Involuntary Medication in Prison or for Competency to Stand Trial
345
a.
Washington v. Harper: Involuntary Medication of Prison Inmates
346
b.
Involuntary Medication for Competency to Stand Trial
346
4.
Questions from the Confluence of Ford, Panetti and Harper/Sell
347
5.
Medication for the Purpose of Competency for Execution
347
6.
Medication for the Purposes of the Inmate's Medical Interest and Prison Safety
348
a.
Changing the Focus to Medical and Safety Needs
348
b.
Is It Constitutional to Execute an "Artificially" Competent Death Row Inmate?
350
c.
Is It Ethical for Physicians to Participate in Medicating a Death Row Inmate into Competency?
352
d.
Legal, Medical, and Legislative Responses
353
19.02.
Death Row Phenomenon
353
A.
Nature of the Issue
353
B.
Cruel and Unusual Punishment?
354
ch. 20
Race and the Death Penalty
359
20.01.
Historical Background
359
20.02.
Criminal Justice System
360
A.
Overview
360
B.
Rape, Race and the Death Penalty
361
C.
Modern Era of Death Penalty Trials and Race
362
20.03.
Measures of Racial Discrimination
363
20.04.
McCleskey v. Kemp
365
A.
Case
365
B.
Baldus Study: Statistical Evidence of Sentencing Disparities in Georgia
365
C.
Five-Justice Majority
367
D.
Impassioned Dissent
369
20.05.
Post-McCleskey: Judicial Response
370
20.06.
Post-McCleskey: Legislative Response
372
20.07.
Racial Issues
373
A.
Racial Attitudes of the Decision Makers
373
B.
Racial Attitudes of the Defense Attorney
375
C.
Race and Future Dangerousness
376
ch. 21
Gender Bias and the Death Penalty
379
21.01.
Overview
379
21.02.
Statistics
379
21.03.
Theories of Gender Discrimination
380
A.
Chivalry Theory
381
B.
Evil Woman Theory
381
C.
Legislative Selection of Death Eligible Crimes
382
D.
Retribution
382
21.04.
Case Studies
383
A.
Velma Barfield
383
B.
Karla Faye Tucker
384
C.
Susan Smith
384
20.05.
Future of Executing Women
385
ch. 22
Volunteers: Defendants Who Want to Die
387
22.01.
Nature of the Issues
387
22.02.
Defendant Advocates Death at Trial Level
388
A.
Overview
388
B.
Eighth Amendment: Is Mitigation Required?
390
C.
Sixth Amendment: What is Effective Assistance of Counsel for a Volunteer?
394
D.
Ethical Issues for Defense Counsel
395
22.03.
Defendant Advocates Death on Appeal or in Postconviction Proceedings
398
22.04.
Raising the Issue: "Next Friend" and Individual Standing
399
22.05.
Competency of the Defendant
400
22.06.
Future Issues
402
ch. 23
International Treaty Rights and the Use of Foreign Law in Death Penalty Cases
403
23.01.
Overview
403
23.02.
Nature of the Issue
404
23.03.
International Treaties in General
406
23.04.
Specific Treaties
410
A.
Intemptional Covenant for Civil and Political Rights
410
B.
Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
412
C.
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
414
D.
Vienna Convention on Consular Relations
415
E.
American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man
423
23.05.
Relevance of Foreign Law
425
ch. 24
Federal Death Penalty
429
24.01.
Overview
429
24.02.
Historical Background
430
A.
From the First Congress Through Furman
430
B.
Post-Furman Era Through 1988
432
24.03.
Modern Federal Death Penalty Procedures
433
A.
1988 Drug Kingpin Act
433
B.
1994 Federal Death Penalty Act
434
C.
Facial Constitutionality of Federal Death-Penalty Statutes
438
24.04.
Administration of the Federal Death Penalty
439
A.
Centralized Review by the Department of Justice
439
B.
Questions about Racial Disparities
441
C.
Continuing Geographical Issues
442
ch. 25
Military Death Penalty
445
25.01.
Introduction
445
25.02.
Historical Background
447
25.03.
1950 Uniform Code of Military Justice
447
25.04.
Response to Furman v. Georgia
448
25.05.
Capital Punishment Procedures Under the Modern Uniform Code of Military Justice
450
25.06.
Appeal of a Military Capital Case
453
25.07.
Capital Offenses Under the Uniform Code of Military Justice
454
25.08.
Cox Commission and Examination of the Military System
455
25.09.
Military Appellate Review of Death Sentences
455
25.10.
"Death Is Different" in Military Courts
457
25.11.
Roadblocks to Military Executions After a Death Sentence Is Affirmed on Appeal
457
25.12.
Conclusion
459
ch. 26
Death Penalty In a Global Context
461
26.01.
Overview
461
26.02.
International Treaties
463
26.03.
National Judicial and Governmental Decisions
465
26.04.
Recurring Issues: Mandatory Death Sentences and Death Row Phenomenon
467
A.
Mandatory Death Sentences
467
B.
Death Row Phenomenon
469
26.05.
Extradition
469
ch. 27
Evolving Attitudes on Capital Punishment: The Move Away from the Death Penalty
475
27.01.
Background
475
27.02.
Recent State Abolition of the Death Penalty
481
A.
Abolition by the Courts
481
1.
New York
481
2.
Delaware
483
B.
Abolition by the Legislature
484
1.
New Jersey
484
2.
New Mexico
485
3.
Illinois
486
4.
Connecticut
488
5.
Maryland
489
27.03.
Voter Initiatives or Referendum
489
A.
California
489
B.
Other Voter Initiatives and Elections
492
27.04.
Moratorium
493
27.05.
Challenges to State Death Penalty Statutes
495
A.
Florida
495
B.
Alabama
496
27.06.
Other Challenges
496
27.07.
Cost and the Death Penalty Debate
497
27.08.
Conclusion
500
ch. 28
Future Issues in Capital Punishment Law
501
28.01.
Overview
501
28.02.
Publicizing Executions
502
28.03.
Terrorism, Civilian Trials, and Military Commissions
503
28.04.
"Fast-Tracking" Death Penalty Cases
508
28.05.
Executing Those Who are Severely Mentally Ill
509
28.06.
Continuing Controversy
513
Table of Cases
515
Table of Statutes
525
Index
529

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