| DP WEEKLY SCHEDULE (first half of course) Week Topics and Assignments -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Feb 2 Introduction to the course, instructor, and course website PowerPoint Discussion of the Abstract and Real Death Penalty >> Read: Abstract and Real DP PowerPoint Comment on "pro-dp" websites -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Feb 9 History of Capital Punishment. Periods in the development of the DP in the US: Pre Civil War, Civil War to WWII, Post WWII, Post Furman. >> Read: History of the DP in England PowerPoint The London Hanged (book review) History of the DP in the US PowerPoint >> Browse this website on Pre-Furman Executions -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Feb 16 Lynching and the DP >> Read: Lynching Notes on Scottsboro: An American Tragedy (video shown in class) >> Browse this website on American lynchings -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Feb 23 The worldwide decline of the DP after WW II and developing international law. The Moratorium Campaign and the end of executions in the US in the 1960's. Furman v. Georgia - The Supreme Court decision abolishing the DP in the US. >> Read: Post World War II DP PowerPoint -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mar 2 The aftermath of Furman - new DP statutes and Supreme Court decisions. The key DP "reforms" - and other proposals that were rejected. The attempt to create a fair and rational system - and why these attempts failed. >> Read: The New Death Penalty PowerPoint The New DP in California ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mar 9 DP Statistics � 600,000 homicides, 8000 death sentences, 1100 executions. The "logjams" on state death rows and the "game of chicken" Death row prisoners: "worst of the worst" - or poor + worst lawyers. PowerPoint PowerPoint 2 Browse: BJS Summary Capital Punishment 2005 Death Row USA (Winter 2008) Death Penalty Information Center Annual Report (read the summary and browse the full report) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mar 16 The strange part played by appeals in the history of the DP. Attempts by federal courts to get out of the DP business. The current capital appeals situation. >> Read: Appeals Timeline PowerPoint "One Bite at the Apple" "The Declining Right to Appeal in DP Cases" Newspaper article on California appeals ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mar 23 Exam 1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| If you missed the video, contact me - I have a loaner copy. It will be covered on the quiz and exam. |
| A couple of these links have changed because the pages were moved. |