What's New

NEW RESOURCE: Report Reviews Prosecutorial Misconduct

Posted: June 26, 2003

What's New

"Harmful Error," a new report released by the The Center for Public Integrity, is the end product of an extensive two-year review of prosecutorial misconduct around the nation. The report notes that while many local prosecutors perform their difficult work admirably, inadvertent and intentional misconduct still permeates some district attorneys' offices. Among other pieces of valuable information contained in the report, "Harmful Error" documents cases in which prosecutorial misconduct played a role in convicting innocent defendants, many of whom were sentenced to death.

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U.S. Supreme Court Rules Lawyers Failed Client, Voids Death Sentence

Posted: June 26, 2003

What's New

By a vote of 7-2, the U.S. Supreme Court has thrown out the death sentence of Maryland death row inmate Kevin Wiggins, ruling that his inexperienced attorneys failed to adequately represent him at trial. Wiggins' original lawyers made no attempt to inform members of the jury that sent Wiggins to death row that their client was repeatedly raped, beaten and denied food as a child, and that his mother burned his hands on the stove as punishment. In an opinion authored by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, the Court said that if jurors knew the ghastly details of Wiggins' childhood, they might have chosen a life sentence for Wiggins. Wiggins, who is borderline mentally retarded, will now receive a new sentencing hearing. Justices O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg have publicly expressed qualms about the quality of legal help available to many people accused of murder.

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From DPIC

LATEST NEWS (May 14): A bill to repeal Nebraska's death penalty was not able to overcome a filibuster vote and will not be voted on this year. The vote to end the filibuster was 28-21, but 33 votes were needed. This was the first time since 1979 that a majority of senators sided with those seeking to end the death penalty. (Journal Star).

Clustering of the Death Penalty

A new section of DPIC's website demonstrates that capital punishment is actually carried out in only a small percentage of U.S. jurisdictions. For example, one map shows that less than 1% of counties in death penalty states accounted for 30% of the executions in the U.S. since 1976. Similarly, less than 1% of the counties were responsible for 27% of current death row inmates and 35% of recent death sentences.

Click maps to enlarge

Click the above video to see the latest developments in the death penalty.

NEWS: (May 7). Mississippi Supreme Court granted a stay of execution for Willie Manning just hours before he was to receive a lethal injection. (Jackson Free Press). (May 6) The U.S. Department of Justice notified Mississippi authorities that FBI testimony submitted in Manning's case was in error: "We have determined that the microscopic hair comparison analysis testimony or laboratory report presented in this case included additional statements that exceeded the limits of science and was, therefore, invalid." The FBI has offered to perform DNA testing on evidence from the crime before Manning is executed. (See A. Cohen, The Atlantic, May 6, 2013).

(May 2). Gov. Martin O'Malley of Maryland signed the bill repealing the death penalty for future offenses. The death penalty had been part of Maryland's law for over 300 years.
Read DPIC's Press Release on MARYLAND's DEATH PENALTY REPEAL