History of the Death Penalty

By m.rutledge

  • First execution of death penalty

    The first known federal execution under this authority was conducted by U.S. Marshal Henry Dearborn of Maine on June 25, 1790.

  • The abolishment of using death penalty on all crimes

    Im 1907 many states abolished using the death penalty for all crimes, they changed it to certain crimes that are committed, they decided which crimes would involve the death penalty or not.

  • Reaches highest levels

    Executions reach the highest levels in American History. Average 167 death penalty’s per year. They were rooting for the death penalty at this point because of how well it’s working.

  • Right to Life

    The United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclaiming a “right to life.”

  • All Time Low

    Support of capital punishment reaches all-time low. A Gallup poll shows support of the death penalty at only 42%. This was the courts and law enforcements showing that they shouldn’t use the death penalty anymore because they are at an all time low.

  • Coker v. Georgia

    Coker v. Georgia. Held death penalty is an unconstitutional punishment for rape of an adult woman when the victim is not killed. They thought this was unconstitutional because nobody died in the crime.

  • Batson v. Kentucky

    Batson v. Kentucky. Prosecutor who strikes a disproportionate number of citizens of the same race in selecting a jury is required to rebut the inference of discrimination by showing neutral reasons for his or her strikes.

  • McCleskey v. Kemp

    McCleskey v. Kemp. Racial disparities not recognized as a constitutional violation of “equal protection of the law” unless intentional racial discrimination against the defendant can be shown.

  • Thompson v. Oklahoma

    Thompson v. Oklahoma. Executions of offenders age fifteen and younger at the time of their crimes is unconstitutional

  • Stanford v. Kentucky

    Stanford v. Kentucky, and Wilkins v. Missouri. Eighth Amendment does not prohibit the death penalty for crimes committed at age sixteen or seventeen. This changed the age of how old you can be to get the death penalty.