Publications & Testimony

Jones v. U.S., 97 – 9361, The Court, reviewing the sentencing provisions of the Federal Death Penalty Act of 1994 for the first time, held that jurors in death penalty cases do not have to be told about the consequences of their failing to agree on whether life or death is the appropriate sentence. The sentencing provisions of the Federal Death Penalty Act allow for three sentencing options: death, life without parole and a lesser sentence. The Court’s instructions to the jury in Jones were…

Resolution Supporting Worldwide Moratorium on Executions April 1999 [Preliminary unedited version] Question of the death penalty Commission on Human Rights resolution 1999/61 The Commission on Human Rights, Recalling article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which affirms the right of everyone to life, article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and articles 6 and 37 (a) of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Recalling also General Assembly…

Co-sponsored by the National Council of Synagogues and the Bishops’ Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops1 “A Sanhedrin that puts one person to death once in seven years is called destructive. Rabbi Eliezer ben Azariah says: Or even once in seventy years. Rabbi Tarfon and Rabbi Akiba say: Had we been the Sanhedrin, none would ever have been put to death.” Mishnah Makkot, 1:10 (2^nd Century, C.E.) “A sign of hope is the increasing…

Ford Foundation Symposium November 12, 1998 by Richard C. Dieter, Esq. Executive Director, Death Penalty Information Center Introduction The U.N. Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (the Torture Convention) was adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 10, 19841 and ratified by the United States ten years later. In all, 176 countries have either ratified or signed the torture convention. The thrust of this treaty…

Question of the Death Penalty (approved April 3, 1998; 26 nations in favor, 13 against, 12 abstentions) 30^th March 1998 Commission on Human Rights Fifty-fourth session Agenda Item 13 E/CN.4/1998/L.12 The Commission on Human Rights, Recalling article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which affirms the right of everyone to life, article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and articles 6 and 37 (a) of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Recalling…

Resolution Opposing the Death Penalty: Adopted unanimously by the General Assembly of the Texas Conference of Churches February 24, 1998 WHEREAS the Texas Conference of Churches, in 1973 and 1977, and many of the churches and judicatories belonging to the Texas Conference of Churches have made clear statements in opposition to and calling for the abolition of the death penalty; and WHEREAS the Bible does authorize every government to “bear the sword” (Rom. 13:4) and the governments and…

NEWS RELEASE, IOWA CATHOLIC CONFERENCE Timothy McCarthy, Executive Director, Iowa Catholic Conference 505 5^th Ave., Ste 818, Des Moines, IA 50309 – 2393 515/243‑6256 The Catholic Bishops of Iowa speak out in opposition to the death penalty and its possible reinstatement in the state of Iowa. The Bishops have updated their statement of January 23, 1995. Both statements call for the recognition of the sacredness of life from conception through natural death. The new statement acknowledges the…

Blackman, Paul H.: “A critique of the epidemiologic study of firearms and homicide”; 1 Homicide Studies 169 (1997) Jamieson, Katherine M. and Zahn, Margaret A.: “Changing patterns of homicide and social policy”; 1 Homicide Studies 190 (1997) Lattimore, Pamela K. et al.: “Homicide trends in eight U.S. cities: project overview and design”; 1 Homicide Studies 84 (1997) Martinez Jr., Ramiro: “Homicide among Miami’s ethnic groups: Anglos, Blacks, and Latinos in the 1990s”; 1 Homicide Studies 17…