Executions concentrate in the South and overwhelmingly involve white victims

Evidence

States vary considerably as to whether and how often they impose the death penalty: Oklahoma has the country’s highest per-capita execution rate, and Southern states account for more than 80 percent of all executions (see Table 6.2). Second, Selsor was executed for murder. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that capital punishment for crimes such as rape or child rape violates the constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment (see Table 6.3). Third, Although roughly equal numbers of whites and African Americans are homicide victims, 76 percent of ee executed since 1976 have nad white victims. — G. Alan Tarr, Judicial Process and Judicial…, 1989

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Capital punishment was struck down because juries imposed it arbitrarily and freakishly. — G. Alan Tarr, Judicial Process and Judicial…, 2002; About 80% of US executions occur in southern states, led by Texas — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement: How People Do Harm…, 1840; Black defendants face death sentences most when victims are White. — Joseph Avery, Jim Sidanius, Joel Cooper, Gregory Davis, Amanda N., Bias in the Law: A Definitive Look at…, 72 (+3 more)

Broader Connections

• Black defendants face death sentences most when victims are White. #corroborates (0.95) — Joseph Avery, Jim Sidanius, Joel Cooper, Gregory Davis, Amanda N., Bias in the Law, 72
• About 80% of US executions occur in southern states, led by Texas #corroborates (0.90) — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement, 1840
• African-featured defendants get death penalties mainly when victims are White. #corroborates (0.90) — Joseph Avery, Jim Sidanius, Joel Cooper, Gregory Davis, Amanda N., Bias in the Law, 861
• Jury composition of White men specifically drives racially biased death sentencing #expands (0.75)
• Minority defendants are convicted and sentenced more harshly than Whites #expands (0.70)