Tafero Was Accused

on the floor inside of the car. The police officer woke up the others and had them get out of the car first. According to Rhodes testimony, Tafero shot the police officer. Tafero said that Rhodes shot the officer and handed the gun to him so that he was able to drive. They stole the police car and fled the scene. They later disposed of it and kidnapped a man and stole his car. All three were arrested after being caught in a roadblock. When they were arrested the gun was found in Tafero’s waistband. Gunpowder was found on Jacobs, Rhodes, Tafero and Jacobs 9 year old son (all of them held it after Rhodes shot it). Rhodes changed his testimony three times (1977, 1979, and 1982) Tafero was executed by electrocution but the machine malfunctioned

Thomas and Meeks Griffin – the oldest case on this list dates back to 1915! The Griffin brothers, two black brothers who lived in Chester County, South Carolina were convicted of the murder in 1913 of 75-year-old John Q. Lewis (a white man). They were convicted because Monk Stevenson, a man suspected of committing the crime, blamed them of doing it because they were wealthy and he thought that they could pay for the bail. The Griffin brothers were completely innocent and they were put to death nonetheless. Two other African Americans, Nelson Brice and John Crosby were executed for the exact crime. Back then blacks were convicted of crimes the most because of their

Hispanics- 16% iv. Other- 8%

Female offenders are less likely to be arrested for murder and are never really ever sentenced to death; males on the other hand are nearly seven times as likely to be sentenced to death as are females who commit homicide. Of the over 8,000 people executed in the U.S. since 1900, only forty six (0.6%) were female offenders.

Methods of execution involves:

a. Lethal injection- Used 87% of the time. It’s the practice of killing someone using a lethal dose of a certain drug. Two versions of lethal injection exist today, one using a three-drug protocol and another using one large dose of a barbiturate (a sleep-inducing drug). Has killed 1,244 people since 1976.

b. Electrocution- Used 11% of the time. Is the practice of killing someone by electric shock (electric current passing through the body)? Has killed 158 people since 1976.

c. Gas Chamber- Used 1% of the time. A structure used for killing humans or animals with gas, consisting of a sealed chamber into which a poisonous gas is introduced. Has killed 11 people since 1976.

d. Hanging- Used 0.5% of the time. The practice of hanging condemned people. Has killed 3 people since