In “Kiss of Death: America’s Love Affair with the Death Penalty,” attorney John Bessler presents arguments against capital punishment based on his work as a pro bono attorney for death row inmates in Texas. Woven into Bessler’s personal account is an examination of U.S. capital punishment practices in contrast to the absence of the death penalty in other nations. The book also addresses the toll executions take on those who participate in the process. (Northeastern University Press, 2003) See Resources.
Citation Guide
- Death Penalty Information Center (2025, March 14). NEW RESOURCE: Kiss of Death: America's Love Affair with the Death Penalty. Retrieved October 3, 2026, from https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/new-resource-kiss-of-death-americas-love-affair-with-the-death-penalty
- Death Penalty Information Center. “NEW RESOURCE: Kiss of Death: America's Love Affair with the Death Penalty.” Last modified March 14, 2025. Accessed October 3, 2026. https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/new-resource-kiss-of-death-americas-love-affair-with-the-death-penalty.
- Death Penalty Information Center. “NEW RESOURCE: Kiss of Death: America's Love Affair with the Death Penalty.” Death Penalty Information Center, 14 Mar. 2025, https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/new-resource-kiss-of-death-americas-love-affair-with-the-death-penalty. Accessed 3 Oct. 2026.