Capital Punishment and the Courts

LAW

784

Capital Punishment and the Courts

There are approximately 3,500 men and women on death rows throughout the United States, and their cases are a complex entanglement of constitutional and procedural issues. This course will focus on court decisions about substantive and procedural issues arising in capital cases, with an emphasis on the Eighth Amendment and the writ of habeas corpus. The class will consider historical, policy, and constitutional issues regarding the death penalty and various statutes, such as the federal Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act. Further, the course will examine the role of attorneys and all phases of capital litigation, including trials, appeals, state post conviction proceedings and federal habeas corpus proceedings. Additional topics will include the consideration of age, mental retardation, innocence, insanity, international law, and race in capital cases.

Fall, Spring

Law

No