this is the harshest penalty allowed by the courts welcome to watchmojo.com and
the courts welcome to watchmojo.com and
the courts welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re taking a look at the history
today we’re taking a look at the history
today we’re taking a look at the history of capital punishment in the United
of capital punishment in the United
of capital punishment in the United States the idea of killing as a form of
States the idea of killing as a form of
States the idea of killing as a form of retribution for one’s crimes dates back
retribution for one’s crimes dates back
retribution for one’s crimes dates back centuries but was imported to America by
centuries but was imported to America by
centuries but was imported to America by British settlers during the colonial era
British settlers during the colonial era
British settlers during the colonial era it officially began early in the 17th
it officially began early in the 17th
it officially began early in the 17th century when crimes like stealing
century when crimes like stealing
century when crimes like stealing vegetables trading with Indians or
vegetables trading with Indians or
vegetables trading with Indians or rejecting the idea of one God were
rejecting the idea of one God were
rejecting the idea of one God were considered capital crimes in one point
considered capital crimes in one point
considered capital crimes in one point hanging was the preferred method of
hanging was the preferred method of
hanging was the preferred method of execution however more horrific means
execution however more horrific means
execution however more horrific means like burning beating and breaking on a
like burning beating and breaking on a
like burning beating and breaking on a wheel were also used though infrequently
wheel were also used though infrequently
wheel were also used though infrequently movements against capital punishment
movements against capital punishment
movements against capital punishment began early and were supported by
began early and were supported by
began early and were supported by important figures of the day in 1777
important figures of the day in 1777
important figures of the day in 1777 founding father Thomas Jefferson
founding father Thomas Jefferson
founding father Thomas Jefferson unsuccessfully tried to amend Virginia
unsuccessfully tried to amend Virginia
unsuccessfully tried to amend Virginia laws regarding the death penalty to make
laws regarding the death penalty to make
laws regarding the death penalty to make only murder and treason capital crimes
only murder and treason capital crimes
only murder and treason capital crimes however in 1790 the u.s. Bill of Rights
however in 1790 the u.s. Bill of Rights
however in 1790 the u.s. Bill of Rights and its 8th amendment saw that no cruel
and its 8th amendment saw that no cruel
and its 8th amendment saw that no cruel or unusual punishment would be inflicted
or unusual punishment would be inflicted
or unusual punishment would be inflicted on United States citizens when the
on United States citizens when the
on United States citizens when the abolition movement gained steam in the
abolition movement gained steam in the
abolition movement gained steam in the early 19th century states began
early 19th century states began
early 19th century states began performing executions in prisons as
performing executions in prisons as
performing executions in prisons as opposed to publicly as was once the
opposed to publicly as was once the
opposed to publicly as was once the custom however the United States last
custom however the United States last
custom however the United States last public execution was in 1936 in 1846
public execution was in 1936 in 1846
public execution was in 1936 in 1846 Michigan became the first state to
Michigan became the first state to
Michigan became the first state to eliminate the death penalty for all
eliminate the death penalty for all
eliminate the death penalty for all crimes except treason other states soon
crimes except treason other states soon
crimes except treason other states soon did the same in the early 1860s the
did the same in the early 1860s the
did the same in the early 1860s the Civil War derailed abolitionists but
Civil War derailed abolitionists but
Civil War derailed abolitionists but once the war ended technological
once the war ended technological
once the war ended technological advancements eased its use for example
advancements eased its use for example
advancements eased its use for example the electric chair was first used to
the electric chair was first used to
the electric chair was first used to carry out a death sentence in 1890 this
carry out a death sentence in 1890 this
carry out a death sentence in 1890 this method was considered more humane than
method was considered more humane than
method was considered more humane than hanging and was quickly adopted by New
hanging and was quickly adopted by New
hanging and was quickly adopted by New York and a few other states in the early
York and a few other states in the early
York and a few other states in the early 20th century the belief that capital
20th century the belief that capital
20th century the belief that capital punishment was unjust became more
punishment was unjust became more
punishment was unjust became more widespread
widespread
widespread when research suggested criminals were
when research suggested criminals were
when research suggested criminals were victims of genetics and their
victims of genetics and their
victims of genetics and their environments
environments
environments some states then eliminated it entirely
some states then eliminated it entirely
some states then eliminated it entirely while others restricted its use to a few
while others restricted its use to a few
while others restricted its use to a few uncommon crimes however this revolution
uncommon crimes however this revolution
uncommon crimes however this revolution was brief by 1920 most states had
was brief by 1920 most states had
was brief by 1920 most states had reestablished the death penalty due to
reestablished the death penalty due to
reestablished the death penalty due to World War one and the threat of a
World War one and the threat of a
World War one and the threat of a socialist revolution 1924 saw the
socialist revolution 1924 saw the
socialist revolution 1924 saw the application of the gas chamber as a
application of the gas chamber as a
application of the gas chamber as a supposedly more humane option for
supposedly more humane option for
supposedly more humane option for capital punishment and this caused a
capital punishment and this caused a
capital punishment and this caused a revival in the use of the death penalty
revival in the use of the death penalty
revival in the use of the death penalty as a deterrent in fact during
as a deterrent in fact during
as a deterrent in fact during Prohibition and the Great Depression of
Prohibition and the Great Depression of
Prohibition and the Great Depression of the 1930s the United States saw its
the 1930s the United States saw its
the 1930s the United States saw its widest use of capital punishment with an
widest use of capital punishment with an
widest use of capital punishment with an average of almost 170 killed each year
average of almost 170 killed each year
average of almost 170 killed each year public opinion shifted against capital
public opinion shifted against capital
public opinion shifted against capital punishment again in the 1950s and in
punishment again in the 1950s and in
punishment again in the 1950s and in 1966 it dropped to a record low during
1966 it dropped to a record low during
1966 it dropped to a record low during that decade reinterpretations of the
that decade reinterpretations of the
that decade reinterpretations of the Constitution suggested the death penalty
Constitution suggested the death penalty
Constitution suggested the death penalty was in fact cruel and unusual punishment
was in fact cruel and unusual punishment
was in fact cruel and unusual punishment and should be considered
and should be considered
and should be considered unconstitutional this subject was
unconstitutional this subject was
unconstitutional this subject was addressed in the Furman V Georgia case
addressed in the Furman V Georgia case
addressed in the Furman V Georgia case of 1972 On June 29th that year the
of 1972 On June 29th that year the
of 1972 On June 29th that year the Supreme Court ruled that consistency was
Supreme Court ruled that consistency was
Supreme Court ruled that consistency was necessary when applying the death
necessary when applying the death
necessary when applying the death penalty and that existing state laws
penalty and that existing state laws
penalty and that existing state laws regarding execution were
regarding execution were
regarding execution were unconstitutional this effectively put
unconstitutional this effectively put
unconstitutional this effectively put the death penalty on hold in the United
the death penalty on hold in the United
the death penalty on hold in the United States and saw the sentences for all
States and saw the sentences for all
States and saw the sentences for all inmates on death row commuted to life in
inmates on death row commuted to life in
inmates on death row commuted to life in prison to adhere to the findings of
prison to adhere to the findings of
prison to adhere to the findings of Furman individual states began rewriting
Furman individual states began rewriting
Furman individual states began rewriting their statutes with regards to capital
their statutes with regards to capital
their statutes with regards to capital punishment the Gregg decision of July
punishment the Gregg decision of July
punishment the Gregg decision of July 2nd 1976 then saw the death penalty
2nd 1976 then saw the death penalty
2nd 1976 then saw the death penalty reinstated however the crimes to which
reinstated however the crimes to which
reinstated however the crimes to which it would be applied had changed On
it would be applied had changed On
it would be applied had changed On January 17th the next year Gary Gilmore
January 17th the next year Gary Gilmore
January 17th the next year Gary Gilmore became the first execution of the modern
became the first execution of the modern
became the first execution of the modern era of capital punishment when he was
era of capital punishment when he was
era of capital punishment when he was shot by a Utah firing squad on December
shot by a Utah firing squad on December
shot by a Utah firing squad on December 7th 1982 lethal injection was first used
7th 1982 lethal injection was first used
7th 1982 lethal injection was first used as a method of execution and it
as a method of execution and it
as a method of execution and it eventually became the preferred way of
eventually became the preferred way of
eventually became the preferred way of carrying out sentences support for
carrying out sentences support for
carrying out sentences support for capital punishment in the United States
capital punishment in the United States
capital punishment in the United States peaked at 80 percent in 1994 and has
peaked at 80 percent in 1994 and has
peaked at 80 percent in 1994 and has declined ever since
declined ever since
declined ever since the debate was renewed in
the debate was renewed in
the debate was renewed in eleven when a firestorm ignited
eleven when a firestorm ignited
eleven when a firestorm ignited following the execution of convicted
following the execution of convicted
following the execution of convicted murderer Troy Davis as many believed he
murderer Troy Davis as many believed he
murderer Troy Davis as many believed he was innocent in recent years a number of
was innocent in recent years a number of
was innocent in recent years a number of u.s. states abolished the death penalty
u.s. states abolished the death penalty
u.s. states abolished the death penalty altogether however because of
altogether however because of
altogether however because of conflicting belief systems it will
conflicting belief systems it will
conflicting belief systems it will undoubtedly remain a divisive topic
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