"The first execution in the territory now know as the United States of America was of Daniel Frank, (who was) put to death in 1622 in the colony of Virginia for the crime of theft" (Justice Center 1). In Georgia it was a fact that if you were a black person who had killed a white person, you were seven times more likely to be sentenced to the death penalty then if you were a white person who has killed a black person (Endres). Since then such cases as Furman vs. Georgia(1972),

In conclusion, "capital punishment ‘overcompensates' for the violation of justice and moral unity created by serious crimes" (Endres 1). Taking one person's life because they robbed another of theirs is not the answer. We as Americans should all be able to live without fear of an unjust trial and an untimely death. The methods of execution are cruel and unusual, if they aren't then ask yourself why there were and still so many court cases to try to overturn this law. In 1976 the court case of Woodson vs. North Carolina deemed mandatory death penalty laws were unconstitutional(Justice Center). It serves no rehabilitative purposes; it exceeds the requirements of justice and social unity. (Endres)

Many judges and Supreme Court officials say that capital punishment is not cruel and unusual, but they do not always tell all the facts about some of the methods that are used during an execution. They can be very painful and humiliating. One such method is the electric chair. Since 1976, 144 people have been executed by the electric chair (Bobit 1), which is the most visually destructive way. The way this is done is the prisoner is strapped to a specially made chair that has electric wires in it. The prisoner usually leaps forward against the restraints when the switch is thrown. The body changes colors, swells, they lose all control of their bodily functions and sometimes the body even catches fire (Bobit 1). Another method of execution that is cruel is lethal injection. It is used in 34 states and since 1976, 406 prisoners have been executed by way of lethal injection (Bobit 2). Doctors claim that this is the most humane way of execution, but since so many prisoners have scars from drug use, finding a useable vein can be a lengthy and painful process, sometimes requiring minor surgery (Bobit 2). It can take anywhere from minutes to hours for executions to be carried out this way.

48% 52% Does the death penalty violate the 8th amendment? (Cruel and unusual punishment)

more then 600 inmates who were previously sentenced to death had their sentences lifted (Justice Center 3). This is the same Supreme Court, who as of right now has 33 teens on death row and as of a study done on October 19, 2000 has had 547 prisoners executed in the 1990's alone (Religious Tolerance 2). The United States is one of the few counties left in the world who execute mentally ill persons with very low IQ's, and child murderers (people who were under the age of 18 when they committed the crime (Religious Tolerance). By killing a person who has committed the act of murder you are saying as long as you are part of the government, you have the right to kill another human being.

Some topics in this essay:
Supreme Court, Religious Tolerance, Cancer Association, President Clinton, Eight Amendment, Endres Florida, Governor Pataki, Justice Center, North Carolina, Sen Governor, capital punishment, death penalty, cruel unusual, religious tolerance, cruel unusual punishment, life imprisonment, electric chair, unusual punishment, death row, sentenced death, justice center, concept capital punishment, murderers kill defenseless, theft justice center, religious tolerance 2,