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Death Penalty Discrimination We have looked at misunderstandings of discrimination, the concept of institutional discrimination, and basic patterns of discrimination -- Now the research data:. Death Penalty Discrimination The evidence of race/ethnic discrim -- 4 key patterns
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Death Penalty Discrimination We have looked at misunderstandings of discrimination, the concept of institutional discrimination, and basic patterns of discrimination -- Now the research data:
Death Penalty Discrimination The evidence of race/ethnic discrim -- 4 key patterns 1. M/W cases over-represented 2. M/M cases under-represented 3. Not a result of case differences 4. Disparities result from prosecutor decisions - discretion
Basic patterns by racial combination of offender and victim (Gross & Mauro)
Same data arranged as ratios of death sentences to homicides
If case characteristics accounted for the differences, then percentages for B/W and W/W should be about the same.
Oklahoma data singled out - if no discrim B/W and W/W should be similar
Juries aren’t responsible for the main disparities - prosecutor decisions are!
Overall patterns of discrimination are entirely a result of prosecutor decisions!
Executions start with W/W 1977 - 1984 (avoiding racism?) B/W catch up by 1987, but then drop in 1988! Why? W/W again after McCleskey v. Kemp, with B/W catching up again. Note: Few B/B throughout (Min/Min most homicides) Note: No W/B until 1991 (14 years!) “Other” and American “Color Line” Georgia patterns
W/W 37 B/B 6 W/B 0 B/W 95 Inferring patterns from data: (Note: Mult Offs & Vic)
WW2 military executions (Dr. Robert Lilly’s research) Similar basic patterns!! Also, prosecutors, not juries!
“We have three classes of homicide” I was told by the chief of detectives in a large southern city. “If a n____ kills a white man that’s murder. If a white man kills a n____ that’s justifiable homicide. If a n____ kills another n____ that’s one less n____.” (Raymond Fosdick, American Police Systems, 1920)
Next The DP and special populations: Juveniles Women Mentally Retarded (Mentally Ill)