Top 5 Facts About Capital Punishment

Summary

This video script from watchmojo.com delves into the complexities of capital punishment, highlighting historical practices from the Code of Hammurabi to modern-day controversies. It discusses the end of special last meal requests in Texas due to an inmate's excessive order, the search for alternative execution methods due to drug shortages, and the debate on the death penalty's effectiveness as a deterrent. The script also reveals that in California, the death penalty is more costly than life imprisonment, challenging the notion of capital punishment as a just and economical solution.

Takeaways

• 📜 Ancient Babylonians had a death penalty for around 30 crimes, each with a specific form of execution.
• 🍽️ Texas discontinued serving special last meals to death row inmates in 2011 after Lawrence Brewer's excessive order and subsequent refusal to eat it.
• 💉 Some U.S. states are reverting to older execution methods or experimenting with new drugs due to a shortage of lethal injection ingredients.
• 🤔 A significant majority of top criminologists in the U.S. do not believe the death penalty is an effective deterrent to murder.
• 💲 The cost of the death penalty in California is significantly higher than life imprisonment, averaging about 308 million dollars per execution.
• 🏛️ The Code of Hammurabi, from the 18th century BC, is one of the earliest written laws concerning capital punishment.
• 🥩 Lawrence Brewer's last meal request included an extensive list of items, which he did not end up eating, leading to the end of special last meal requests in Texas.
• 🗳️ A study showed that most experts believe the death penalty distracts from implementing real crime prevention solutions.
• 🛡️ An embargo from the European Union affected the availability of lethal injection drugs, prompting states to consider alternative execution methods.
• 📊 A report by the National Research Council found that studies claiming the death penalty as a deterrent were flawed and unreliable.
• 🏥 The high costs associated with death penalty trials, appeals, and incarceration make it a less cost-effective option compared to life sentences.

Q & A

What is the historical origin of capital punishment mentioned in the script?

The earliest set of written laws concerning capital punishment can be found in the Code of Hammurabi, dating back to the 18th century BC.

How many different crimes warranted the death penalty according to the Code of Hammurabi?

Some 30 different crimes warranted the death penalty each with its own form of execution depending on the crime.

Why did Texas stop serving last meals to death row inmates in 2011?

Texas stopped serving last meals in 2011 after convicted murderer Lawrence Brewer abused the process by ordering an excessively large final meal, leading to the state deciding to no longer fulfill special last meal requests.

What was Lawrence Brewer's last meal request that led to the change in Texas' policy?

Brewer ordered two chicken-fried steaks with gravy and onions, a triple patty bacon cheeseburger, a cheese omelet, a bowl of fried okra with ketchup, 1 pound of barbecued meat, 3 fajitas, a meatlovers pizza, one pint of Blue Bell ice cream, some peanut butter fudge with crushed nuts, and three root beers.

What alternative methods of execution have states in the US considered due to the 2011 embargo from the European Union?

As a result of the embargo, states have passed laws to use old discarded methods of execution as backup, such as Utah bringing back firing squads, Tennessee using the electric chair, and Oklahoma deciding on the gas chamber and potentially nitrogen.

What was the Supreme Court's decision on the use of a new drug for lethal injections that resulted in excruciating deaths?

The Supreme Court upheld the use of the new drug, midazolam, for lethal injections in 2015, despite the reported excruciating deaths in Ohio and Arizona.

What did the study published by the University of Colorado in 2009 reveal about the effectiveness of the death penalty as a deterrent to murder?

According to the study, 88% of the top criminologists in the United States surveyed said they don't believe the death penalty is an effective deterrent to murder.

What did the National Research Council's 2012 report conclude about the studies claiming the death penalty as a deterrent to crime?

The report concluded that studies claiming the death penalty as a deterrent were based on flawed methodology and should not be considered when determining policy, as they fail to take into account key information such as non-capital punishment options.

How much did the death penalty cost California taxpayers since its reinstatement in 1978 according to the 2011 study?

Since 1978, California taxpayers have spent approximately four billion dollars to execute a total of 13 prisoners, which equates to about 308 million dollars for each execution.

What is the cost comparison between a death penalty prosecution and a life without parole case in California?

A death penalty prosecution costs up to 20 times as much as a life without parole case in California.

What does the script suggest about the future of capital punishment in the United States?

The script does not explicitly suggest the future of capital punishment but highlights the ongoing debates, cost issues, and alternative methods of execution that states are considering.