Capitail Punishment midterm

The very first recorded case of capital punishment was in 1608, in the colony of Jamestown, Virgina. Captain Gorge Kendall was hanged for being a Spanish spy. Since the capital punishment has had a long and colorful history filled with controversy. For instance, since 1976 the death sentence has only been giving for crimes directly connected to murder. Here are the Aggravating factors for the Death Sentence in California:
(1)The murder was especially heinous, atrocious, cruel, or depraved (or involved torture)
(2)The capital offense was committed during the commission of, attempt of, or escape from a specified felony (such as robbery, kidnapping, rape, sodomy, arson, oral copulation, train wrecking, carjacking, criminal gang activity, drug dealing, or aircraft piracy)
(3)The murder was committed from a motor vehicle or near a motor vehicle that transported the defendant
(4)The defendant committed or attempted to commit more than one murder at the same time
(5)The defendant killed the victim while lying in wait
(6) The murder was committed for pecuniary gain or pursuant to an agreement that the defendant would receive something of value
(7) The murder was committed to avoid or prevent arrest, to effect an escape, or to conceal the commission of a crime
(8) The defendant has been convicted of, or committed, a prior murder, a felony involving violence, or other serious felony
(9)The victim was a government employee, including peace officers, police officers, federal agents, firefighters, judges, jurors, defense attorneys, and prosecutors, in the course of his or her duties
(10)The victim was an elected or appointed official or former official of the federal government, or local or state government, and the killing intentionally prevented the victim’s official duties
(11)The murder was committed against a witness, a potential witness, or a family member of a witness in a criminal or civil proceeding to prevent the witness from appearing, or for revenge
(12)The victim was killed because of his or her race, color, religion, nationality, or country of origin
(13)The defendant committed treason

This link is for some of the case that led to Supreme Court cases pertaining to the Death Penalty.

Some famous cases where the defendant was given a death sentence in chronological order. I have listed date of execution, conviction, method of execution and a few interesting facts pertaining to the case.

July 7, 1865 Mary Surratt
Convicted of taking part in the conspiracy to assassinate Abraham Lincoln.
Method of execution: Hanging
Interesting Details:
· First woman to be executed by the US government.
· Many people believed the hanging was too severe a punishment.
· The jury filed for a stay of execution two minutes after Surratt died.

June 19, 1953 Julius and Ethel Rosenberg
Convicted of espionage and treason for selling top secret A-bomb plan s to the Russians.
Method of execution: Electric Chair
Interesting Details:
· Many people were convinced they were wrongly convicted.
· Ethel Rosenberg had to be electrocuted twice.
· This crime did not have a direct link to any murder.

January 24, 1989 Theodore Bundy
Convicted of the murder of Lisa Levy, 20, Margaret Brown, 21 and the assault of three other women that night. Convicted of the kidnap and murder of Kimberly Leach, 12.
Method of Execution: Electric Chair
Interesting Details:
· Suspected of killing over 100 women.
· Claimed to have killed at least 30 women.
· Was the reason the term “serial killer” was coined.
· Given 3 separate death sentences.

No Execution Date Set, Scott Peterson
Convicted of killing his wife, Laci, and their unborn child.
Method of Execution: Lethal injection
Interesting details:
· Huge controversy over the case.
· Almost as big as the OJ trial.

As of 2009 thre are 3,173 death-row inmates in the united states prison system