Ethics Class Death Penalty Presentation at St. Catherin's School in Richmond, 2012 July 9

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Ethics Class DP Presentation

St. Catherin’s School
Richmond, Virginia

July 9, 2012
What do you know about the DP in the US and/or Virginia?

Give an overview of the DP in the USA

“ 33 states & federal government have capital punishment laws
“» Supreme Court outlawed DP in 1973 because of abuses

* Approved new law with protections in 1976

* Since then over 1,300 executions (mostly in southern states)

Complexity of DP sentencing process
* Two separate trials
“ Mandatory appeals

Give an overview of the DP in Virginia
* 109 executions, second only to Texas

Discuss the following problems:
* Racial bias
- Ask kids to find out online how this plays out - victims & jury
selection

* Geographic bias
- Find web page with highest DP counties in the US
- Find VA executions on same web site & which counties have
most

“ Innocence

- How many exonerations from death row so far?

- 140 versus 1,300 executions!

- Does not count cases like the West Memphis Three

“ Witness misidentification
- Look up case of Carlos DeLuna
- Find elements of model witness ID guidelines

oe

* Reliance on jailhouse snitches

oe

“ Prosecutorial misconduct
- Look up recent Supreme court case from Louisiana & outcome
- Example of Justin Wolfe case

* Police mistakes & misconduct

Recent trends:
Five states in past five years have abolished the DP - New York,
New Jersey, New Mexico, Illinois, & Connecticut
* Active repeal campaigns gearing up in CA, MD, CO, & KS
* Groundwork being laid for abolition in Montana, Delaware, &
other states

Q&A

Distribute VADP fact sheets & sign up forms
Invite them to join VADP

Show them VADP Facebook page & ask them to like it & encourage
friends to join

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Rights:
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Date Uploaded:
December 23, 2025

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