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Noting the reduction in Florida death sentences

By Douglas A. Berman

The Orlando Sentinel has this new piece about modern capital punishment trends, which is headlined "Fewer Florida juries voting for death ? why is unclear: Trend toward fewer executions evident elsewhere in nation as wel."  Here is how it starts: Juries in Florida recommended 14 men die by lethal injection last year after hearing about their crimes and why the state should execute them. The number is 10 fewer than were recommended for death in 2008, when 24 defendants were sentenced to die, according to figures kept by the Department of Corrections. The decline continues a downward trend in the state's death sentences, mirroring what is happening across the country. "Outside a few states, the death penalty is not a regular occurrence," said Richard Dieter, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, a nonprofit organization based in Washington that provides analysis about the death penalty...continue to full post

Full post as published by Sentencing Law and Policy on January 15, 2010 (boomark / email).