Outline

 

I.  Introduction

        A.  DP support has reached highwater mark and is now ebbing, due to attacks on most egregious applications

        B.  Up until WWII, Euros and we were in agreement.  They then went anti, we went pro.  Why?

        C.  Trend is toward further limits on DP.  Probably will not end up at Euro extreme, but will severely limit

 

II. Current State of DP in U.S.

        A.  38/50 states and feds have it, few practice.

                1.  Abolitionist states

2.  Texas

                3.  Feds

                4.  States that have it, but don’t use

        B.  Recent cases

                1.  Mentally retarded

                2.  Juveniles

        C.  Attacks on certainty

                1.  Frank

                2.  Innocence Project

                3.  Ryan moratorium in Illinois

        D.  Attacks on racial bias

       

 

III.  Current State of DP in EU in contrast to China

        A.  DP in the world

                1.  Many countries have abolished, relatively recently

                2.  China is still the leader, by far

                3.  Number of non-DP countries growing, some have abolished, some of it is function of breakups of Soviet Union and Yugoslavia

B.  EU has total abolishment, and requires it for admission

                1.  Many countries do not have it

                2.  Some do, China is leader

        C.  History.  How did they get here?

                1.  WWII

                2.  Concern for human rights

                3.  Impact of religion

                4.  Is it an overreaction

        D.  Preaching to us and rest of world

 

IV.  Why did U.S. and EU go different directions

        A.  Same up to WWII

        B.  Human rights movement in Europe

        C.  By 1970, consensus against DP in US

        D.  Court abolished, Furman

        E.  Huge backlash against court

        F.  Different politics there and here

                1.  Fear of crime in US

                        a.  Manson

                        b.  Films like Dirty Harry, Death Wish, Escape from New York

                        c.  Different league of criminals—McVeigh, Bundy, Gacy, bin Laden?

                2.  Systematic Issues

                        a.  Election of judges in some US states

                        b.  Elite control in Europe

                        c.  Jury system vs. inquisitorial system

                        d.  Plea bargaining

 

V.  Trends in the U.S.

        A.  Limited influence of EU’s stance

                1.  EU will not do anything to enforce its wishes

                2.  We do need them in War on Terror, but does this matter to what they would do

        B.  Supreme Court Trend

                1.  They seem to listen to world opinion more than U.S.

                2.  (Are there any pending cases?  Find out)

                3.  They seem less comfortable with DP

        C.  Political Trends

                1.  Poll data shows weakening support

                2.  Really only applies to Texas

                3.  In other states, only most extreme cases

 

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