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Dead Wrong Melo Summary

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Forms of punishments within the United States’ system of criminal justice can range from a simple warning all the way up to the death penalty, depending on the nature and type of crime committed. The goal of punishment in the criminal justice system is deterrence and crime prevention, however when the punishment offers no major impact on crime, is extremely costly, exhibits racial bias, and has taken the life of innocent people, (socially and physically) the death penalty is not only viewed as punishment, but as revenge and as murder.
Taking a look at the death penalty from a lawyer point of view we have Michael A. Mello, author of Dead Wrong: A Death Row Lawyer Speaks Out Against Capital Punishment. He tells his story of being a professional lawyer, who “worked within the legal system to prevent the state from executing some of its citizens.” In his book he talks about his work as a lawyer and his days as a judicial clerk, working with Judge Robert Vance of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. Judge Robert Vance, going against his personal views (believing that the death penalty was not a proper form of punishment) but adhering to the result …show more content…

Mello, highlighted on one particular case that led to his decision to no longer work directly in the American System of capital punishment, the case of “Crazy Joe” Spaziano. “Mr. Spaziano was the co-founder of the Outlaws Motorcycle Brotherhood group for the Orlando chapter. In addition to be wrongly convicted of a crime he did not commit and serving twenty years on death row, he was almost executed. Mello invested thirteen long years, totaling twenty six judges just to prove Mr. Spazinao’s innocence. He also highlighted on the case of Theodore (Ted) Bundy, “the serial sexual murderer suspected of raping and then killing dozens of young women during the 1970s.” After turner over this case to someone else, he was left with the feeling that he failed Bundy’s wife and

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Being on death row often prolongs the pain for the inmate. They spend their time in prison fearing the inevitable which for them is death. Today, we live in a society that is very divided on this issue. There are many in support of the death penalty, suggesting that it acts as a positive deterrent against future crime. There are also many

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With that money, they chose one of the most popular defense attorneys at the time, Clarence Darrow. At the time, Darrow was one of, if not the most popular criminal lawyer in the nation. He is most known for his defense in the famous ‘Monkey Trial’, and also saved around 50 other accused murderers from execution, many of which were beyond a doubt guilty (Knappman). He made the decision to have the defendants plead guilty in order to avoid a grand jury, and have the sentencing and verdict come directly from Judge Caverly himself. Darrow’s goal was to keep his defendants from getting the death sentence by asking the judge to consider their age, their guilty plea, and their mental condition (Baatz).

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There are many different accounts as to how Bundy was shown or found the information, but it is clear that that moment deeply impacted him. Studies have shown that forty-eight percent of offenders have admitted to having some sort of rejection during their child hood (Simpson, 2000; Hickey, 2002). This rejection was with his mother and his grandfather (Samuel). Samuel was described as a horrible person. Samuel Cowell was verbally and physically abusive, had bigotry towards everyone who was not like him, and he was abusive towards the family and neighborhood pets.

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804 Words | 4 Pages

“In Our Names”: Rewriting the US Death Penalty by Kimberly K. Gunter theorizes that the idea of who deserves the death penalty is largely dictated by external factors including literacy, socioeconomic status, education, and exposure making certain classes and groups of people more prone to receive the death penalty. I theorize that the death penalty is biased leaving certain people and classes of people more likely to receive a sentence of death and that the sentence of death should be based on a more algorithmic method that factors in the same elements for each person to be placed on death row. “In Our Names”:Rewriting the US Death Penalty by Kimberly K. Gunter contrasts the US death penalty to different levels of creative/freestyle

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In fact, Bundy wasn’t extremely intelligent, and was not a genius, he only had an IQ of about 124, and he was not wildly successful in school, he was an average student who actually failed out of college after being dumped by a girlfriend, though he did return to school at a later date and finish (Michaud & Aynesworth, 2000). Even so, there was something that everyone could agree upon, Theodore Bundy was a deranged sociopath who became famous for murdering all of his victims, he was one of the serial killers to become extremely famous because of his killings, and some would say that he seemed happy to be getting all of the recognition (Michaud & Aynesworth, 2000). With articles written about him titled, “Bundy: The Man, The Myth, The Legend” he had truly become a legend (Caputi, 1989). These are only a few examples of how the media portrayed Bundy and how that caused the public to see and talk about

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Currently, the death sentence is only applied to those who commit murder, however, in the past, it has also been used for rape and armed robbery. Arguing in favor it can seem justifiable to take the life of a person who unjustifiably took the life of someone else. And with murder being the only way to be sentenced to the death penalty it seems fitting. Along with that, it provides deterrence from committing murder for possibly many people. The deterrence that execution provides is a debated topic nested into another controversial topic.

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Throughout the trial, and particularly in his closing argument, he preaches equality and the importance of justice over biases. In Bryan Stevenson’s Just Mercy, he describes the experience of meeting a director of law named Steve Bright; he recalls, “I was taken aback by his immediate belief that I had something to offer. He broke down the issues with the death penalty simply but persuasively, and I hung on every word, completely

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Some see the death penalty as the only means to extract justice for victims. Others see it as a morally reprehensible act where a second wrong is committed in order to make something right. With recent issues surrounding the death penalty in which execution hasn 't gone as planned sparking a nationwide debate, this is my outlook on why I 'm for the death penalty not only being abolished in the state of Texas but in addition to the entirety of the US..

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Although Texas is the state with the greatest number of death row sentences and executions, it has one of the highest crime rates in the entire nation. Therefore, the death penalty is ineffective because it does not diminish the incidence of crimes, take the life of innocent people, is racially unequal, costly, and alternative measure can be implemented

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“‘Death sentences represent less than one-tenth of 1% of prison sentences in the United States…,’” (Von Drehle, 9). Furthermore, death row is just a small fraction of the criminal justice system and can not be based on that alone. For instance, what many don't take into account is the justice systems allows for many states, such as the populous state of New York, to ban the death penalty. (state laws, p1)

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Capital punishment, or the death penalty, is a legal process in which a person is put to death as a punishment for a crime by the government of a nation. The United States is in the minority group of nations that uses the death penalty. There are thirty-three states that allow capital punishment and seventeen states that abolished it (Death Penalty Information Center). The morality of the death penalty has been debated for many years. Some people want capital punishment to be abolished due to how it can cost a lot more than life imprisonment without parole, how they think it is immoral to kill, and how innocent people can be put to death.

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Ever since the outset of the American Constitution, capital punishment has existed as a crime sentence in the United States. However, in recent decades, this topic has become highly controversial, as many states have dictated against the death penalty. Although states with this position on capital punishment are increasing, some states, such as Texas, have continued to edict this practice in their provinces. In the State of Texas, the sentence to death upon a person should not be permitted due to the fact it can wrongly convict a person, its court trial is highly expensive, and it brings forth an unjust treatment.

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Therefore, he did not see anything wrong in his brutal actions even though his actions were completely unacceptable and wrong for society. Another defense mechanism Bundy had was compensation. After his girlfriend left him, he was trying to compensate for the love by murdering and raping the women who had similar characteristics to his girlfriend. He is trying to make up for the love that he lost. Unfortunately, his compensation was a negative one.

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The Death Penalty, loss of life due to previous crimes and actions, is believed by some to be extremely costly, inhumane, and cruel unlike some others whom believe it is just, right, and provides closure. The Death Penalty is not a quick and easy process. Most who get sentenced to deaths row wait years for their ultimate punishment of death. Some believe that it is not right to punish and kill a human for actions they have done because, they believe that the inmate should have another chance. Then others believe that it is right to punish someone for their actions especially if their actions involve killing another or multiple humans.

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There is a worldwide trend in the use of penal imprisonment for serious offenses as capital punishment has been renounced by an increasing number of countries. Harsh punishments include capital punishment, life imprisonment and long-term incarceration. These forms of punishments are usually used against serious crimes that are seen as unethical, such as murder, assault and robbery. Many people believe that harsher punishments are more effective as they deter would-be criminals and ensure justice is served. Opposition towards harsh punishments have argued that harsher punishments does not necessarily increase effectiveness because they do not have a deterrent effect, do not decrease recidivism rates and do not provide rehabilitation.

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