Top 5 Facts About Capital Punishment
Summary
TLDRThis 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.
Outlines
🗡️ Ancient Death Penalty Practices
This paragraph delves into the historical roots of capital punishment, highlighting the Code of Hammurabi from the 18th century BC as the earliest written laws on the subject. It outlines various forms of execution for around 30 different crimes, such as hanging for burglary, being thrown into a fire for theft during a fire, and drowning for adultery or rape, showcasing the severity and variety of ancient Babylonian punishments.
🍽️ Last Meal Controversies in Texas
The focus here is on the controversy surrounding the last meal requests of death row inmates, particularly in Texas. The case of convicted murderer Lawrence Brewer is central, where his excessively large last meal order led to public outrage and the subsequent discontinuation of special last meal requests by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. The paragraph also touches on the irony of Brewer not eating any of his extravagant order, which contributed to the change in policy.
💉 Execution Methods and Challenges
This section discusses the challenges faced by U.S. states in carrying out capital punishment due to an embargo from the European Union that affected the availability of lethal injection drugs. As a result, states have resorted to reviving older methods of execution, such as firing squads in Utah, the electric chair in Tennessee, and the gas chamber in Oklahoma. It also mentions Oklahoma's consideration of nitrogen as a new method and the use of a controversial drug for lethal injections that has caused distressing deaths but was upheld by the Supreme Court.
🕵️♂️ Doubts Over the Deterrent Effect of Capital Punishment
The paragraph examines the effectiveness of the death penalty as a deterrent to murder, citing a study that indicates a majority of top U.S. criminologists do not believe it serves as a deterrent. It further discusses the belief that the death penalty distracts from enacting real solutions and criticizes studies claiming it as a deterrent as flawed and unreliable due to their failure to consider non-capital punishment options.
💼 The High Cost of Capital Punishment in California
This paragraph presents a financial analysis of capital punishment in California, revealing that since its reinstatement in 1978, the state has spent approximately four billion dollars on executing 13 prisoners, amounting to about 308 million dollars per execution. It breaks down the costs into trial costs, appeals, and incarceration, and contrasts this with the finding that a life without parole case is significantly less expensive, suggesting that the death penalty is not a cost-effective policy.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Capital Punishment
💡Last Meal
💡Death Row
💡Lethal Injection
💡Firing Squad
💡Electric Chair
💡Gas Chamber
💡Nitrogen Execution
💡Deterrents
💡Cost-Effectiveness
💡Criminologists
Highlights
Capital punishment has a long history, dating back to the Code of Hammurabi in the 18th century BC.
Ancient Babylonians prescribed the death penalty for 30 different crimes with various execution methods.
In Texas, the practice of granting special last meal requests to death row inmates was discontinued in 2011.
Lawrence Brewer's excessive last meal order led to the end of the last meal request practice in Texas.
Some states are reverting to older execution methods due to a shortage of lethal injection drugs.
Utah has reintroduced firing squads, Tennessee is using the electric chair, and Oklahoma is considering the gas chamber and nitrogen hypoxia.
Experts largely doubt the effectiveness of the death penalty as a deterrent to murder.
A 2009 study found that 88% of top US criminologists do not believe capital punishment deters murder.
A 2012 report by the National Research Council criticized studies claiming the death penalty as a deterrent due to flawed methodology.
The cost of capital punishment in California is significantly higher than life imprisonment.
Since 1978, California has spent approximately $4 billion on capital punishment for 13 executions.
A death penalty trial in California costs up to 20 times more than a life without parole case.
The transcript discusses the ethical and practical implications of capital punishment in the United States.
Watchmojo.com explores various aspects of capital punishment, including history, methods, and cost-effectiveness.
The video transcript provides a critical examination of capital punishment, questioning its purpose and societal impact.
The death penalty continues to be a contentious issue with ongoing debates about its morality and practicality.
The video encourages viewers to subscribe to watchmojo.com for more top-ten lists and informative content.
Transcripts
don't expect a last-minute call from the
governor to save you
welcome to watchmojo.com ting down our
picks for the most interesting facts we
could find about capital punishment
kxan's david scott' tells us why the
last meal that Brewer ordered was the
last straw most of the research we found
related to capital punishment in the
United States and so the majority of our
facts relate to the United States you
have anything to say before sentence is
carried out up source what I am number
five
ancient Babylonians would kill you for
anything why does nobody ever thought
anything the death penalty goes way back
the earliest set of written laws
concerning capital punishment can be
found in the Code of Hammurabi dating
back to the 18th century BC some 30
different crimes warranted the death
penalty each with its own form of
execution depending on the crime you
know what let's just agree to disagree
my friend okay
for example those who were convicted of
burglary were hanged those who were
caught stealing items during a fire were
thrown into that same fire and those who
were found guilty of adultery or rape
were drowned committing incest bigamy
kidnapping fraud or many other crimes
also meant being put to death
number 4 Texas stopped serving last
meals in 2011 they fixed me a pretty
decent steak for my last meal they even
throw in a brew one person can really
ruin it for everyone after convicted
murderer Lawrence Brewer quote abused
the process by ordering an excessively
large final meal the state decided to no
longer fulfill special last meal
requests for death row inmates Brewer
had 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 is this a meal
to die for
Russell Brewer apparently thought so
however when Brewer got the order he
wasn't hungry and reportedly didn't eat
any of it outraged by this action one
state senator wrote a letter to the
Texas Department of Criminal Justice
asking them to end the practice of last
meal requests and the department
complied to be honest of osburgh to be
executed either ago but he ate my last
meal well that's the worst thing that
happens to you today consider yourself
lucky number three states are scrambling
to find new ways to kill inmates way to
kill yours and by new ways we actually
mean going back to old ways in 2011 an
embargo from the European Union
prevented drug companies from getting
key ingredients for lethal injections to
the US as a result various states have
passed laws to use old discarded methods
of execution as backup in case they no
longer have access to the drugs Utah has
brought back firing squads which were
previously optional for prisoners
Tennessee is using the electric chair as
their backup and Oklahoma decided on the
gas chamber now it approved Oklahoma
could become the first state to use
nitrogen to execute inmates
Oklahoma has also decided to experiment
with a new drug for lethal injections my
docile am which has resulted in
excruciating deaths in Ohio and Arizona
but was upheld by the Supreme Court in
2015
number two experts doubt it deters
murder it's the only way we can be sure
that they will not kill again according
to a study published by the University
of Colorado in 2009 88% of the top
criminologists in the United States
surveyed said they don't believe the
death penalty is an effective deterrent
to murder they know are just as stupid
as these guys who think capital
punishments gonna be a deterrent for
drug kingpins in fact 75% of the same
criminologists believe that the death
penalty serves as a distraction
preventing state legislature and
Congress from enacting real solutions if
those numbers aren't convincing enough a
2012 report by the National Research
Council looked at more than 30 years of
data and concluded that studies which
claimed that the death penalty was a
deterrent to crime were based on flawed
methodology and should not be considered
when determining policy call me
sentimental but I'd rather see him cry
the report concluded that these studies
are unreliable since they fail to take
into account key information such as non
capital punishment options so the model
of capital punishment as a deterrent
isn't credible as if drug kingpins
didn't live their day-to-day lives under
the possibility of execution number one
in California it's more expensive than
life in prison justice doesn't come
cheap a 2011 study published in the
Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review found
that since California reinstated the
death penalty in 1978 the state's
taxpayers have spent approximately four
billion dollars to kill a total of 13
prisoners which comes out to about 308
million for each execution the author's
broke down that 1.9 4 billion went to
their trial costs 925 million dollars
went to automatic and state appeals 775
million dollars went to federal appeals
and 1 billion dollars went to the actual
incarceration of the inmates that's
obviously a lot of money but what's even
more astounding is that it would
actually be less expensive to give a
lifetime sentence to prisoners instead
of the death penalty the same study
found that a death penalty prosecution
costs up to 20 times as much as a life
without parole case so what do you think
this capital punishment and effective
policy are you really allowed to execute
people in a local jail from this point
on no talking
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