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How the death penalty began in America
When European settlers came to America they continued the practive of captial punishment.First death penalty in America dates back to 1608.The death penalty would be a cause from major offense such as murder or minor offenses like stealing grapes or trading with Native Americans. The laws regauding the death penalty would vary from state to state, this still continues now in America. -
Death penatly used in the 13 colonies
The 13 colonies used the death penalty frequently around the start of the American Revolution. The main sentance for the death penalty was haning, Rhode Island was one of the only states around the time of 1700s that reduced the amount of captial punishments for crimes. -
The death penatly written in the consitution
After the American Revoultion the founding fathers wrote in the consitution allowing death penatly. The 5th allowed taking of life and the 8th continued on from the 5th that there has to be limites to the captial punishment. States would be in charge if the death penatly was used. -
The softening of the death penalty in america
William Bradford the attorney general for Penneslyia was one of them first to make claims why the death penalty should be soften, One claim was because many juries would let guilty people go free because they did not want to sentance someone to death. In 1790 laws were pass to abolish death penalties on some crimes. -
Public excutions switched from public to private
The public excutions were critized for being cruel because there would be hangings and people would gather to watch, Some people would sell souviers and alchol. The insenstivity of the public excutions made there be a switch from public to private excutions. -
Michigan becomes 1st state to abolish the captial punishment
Michigan became the first state to abolish death penalty for all crimes excpet for treason.Michigan replaced the death penalty with the life of imprisonment.The law would take place the next year and made michigan first english speaking place to abolish captial punishment. -
14th amendment ratifed and used to challenge the death penalty
14th amendment is ratified after civil war.The 14th amendment stated, "no state should deprive those of life without due process." A case in 2005 Ropper v. Simmons ruled that it is unconstional for minors to recieve the death penalty. -
Several states abolish capital punishment
During 1957-1972, their was a lot of controversey with death penalty which forced polticans to take sides. Around 10 states at the time abolished the death penalty. The tv coverage of death row influenced many states to abolish the death penalty. Many of the anti death penalty avocates took their reasoning to court. -
US supreme Court rules that death penalty for intellectual disabilites violates 8th Amendment
A man named Daryl Atkins was sentance to the death penatly but his IQ score was 59. His low score showed he had intellectual disabilites which was used as his defense which prevailed stoping his death sentance. Those who have mental intellectual disabilies cannot be charged the death sentace because of his case. -
Lethal injection is consitutinal in using for the death penatly
There was a agruement that the lethal injection violates the 8th amendment because it was said to be cruel and unusal. Kentucky supreme court said that it does not violate the 8th amendment. Now nearly all states that still have the death penatly use lethal injections for the death penatly.