Death penalty case????

Question

My daughter has to write a paper on a social issue. She wants to write on the Death Penalty. She has to research some cases for her arguement for or against. She is 12. Anyone know of some cases that aren't too gorey for her to research?

Answer 1

You'll likely not get 'ungory' cases fo research in regard to the death penalty. Personally, I think 12 is old enough to begin understanding what the world is like.

For arguments against, http://justicedenied.org/.
As an example, a good one is the story of Kirstin Lobato. Nineteen year-old Kirstin Lobato was convicted in May 2002 of murdering a homeless Las Vegas man who was beaten, stabbed and sexually mutilated on July 8, 2001. She was sentenced to a minimum of 40 years in prison. Yet multiple witnesses confirm that on the day of the man’s death Kirstin was in Panaca, Nevada, 170 miles from Las Vegas. Her presence in Panaca is consistent with crime scene evidence that positively excludes her from having anything to do with his death, and that there is no evidence she had ever met the man. In a masterful frame-up that may be marveled at for decades as a text book case of how the three branches of the legal system interact to ensure a wrongful conviction, prosecutors worked hand-in-glove with the police to orchestrate, in the courtroom of an overtly compliant judge, the conviction of a plainly innocent young woman.

Or for evidence that even a confession does not mean absolute guilt, see the Australian case of Lawrence Lloyd who was charged with homicide and even confessed (the jury found manslaughter, so obviously something was wrong here) and after serving 11 years was released. Af his release, another suspect was charged and conviced of homicide, independentally of the crime. The conviction agains Lloyd was eventually quashed, meaning the state was convinced of his innocence.

Between 1973 and last year, there have been 123 exonerations in the US. These are just those where new evidence proved innocence. It makes one wonder how many are wrongly convicted and still on death row, or worse yet, how many have been executed.

Answer 2

Here are two cases she may be okay with- her paper could focus on the cases of innocent people, caught up in the justice system, sentenced to death, who triumphed over the odds and were exonerated. Her focus could be on the search for justice of these people, not on the crime itself.

One case to look at is that of Ray Krone (wrongfully convicted and sentenced to death), a fine human being. He has been freed and the state of Arizona officially apologized.
Kirk Bloodsworth is another. Also, an average, honest hard working man. Wrongfully convicted of murder and sentenced to death. He is the first person to be freed with DNA evidence.

A place to start would be the Death Penalty Information Center, www.deathpenaltyinfo.org.

If the information you find there is not what you want or feel is appropriate, you can try reading about Ray and Kirk at the website of the Innocence Project. Some of the details of the crime will be gory, but your daughter can focus on how the journeys of Ray and Kirk, and on the stories of their lives since being released. Both men speak about the death penalty and about their own stories and are really inspiring.

Both men are the subject of books. Bill Kurtis wrote about Ray and Kirk is the subject of a book by Tim Junkin.

Answer 3

I can't think of a single recent case that has people waiting on death row that wasn't gorey or sick. Certainly not good for a 12 year old to read about but there are sites that tell about crimes all over the internet. Including www.crimelibrary.com

Answer 4

Why not the Trial and Death Penalty of Jesus or even the Salem Witch Trials.

You can most likely get some less gorey stories than using more current events.

The below listed website has a miriad of cases to view.

http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/ftrials.htm

Best wishes!

Answer 5

1) Scott Peterson should be a good reason for you to be against the death penalty. The man was sentenced to death on circumstantial evidence.

2) Ted Bundy should be a good reason to be for the death penalty.

Me personally, I am for the death penalty, but only in cases where there is smoking gun evidence, i.e. a confession, DNA, or video evidence.

Answer 6

Furman v. George, 408 U.S. 238 (1972)
Gregg v. Georgia, 428 U.S. 153 (1976)
Woodson v. North Carolina, 428 U.S. 280 (1976)
Jurek v. Texas, 428 U.S. 262 (1976)
These cases are considered the U.S. Supreme Court's seminal cases in this area. They are not gorey.