U.S. Executions Drop To 20-Year Low
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With rallies and protest, there is a growing sentiment in the country to abolish the death penalty (Twitter/@AbolitionACC)
Texas tallied the most executions at 16, with Florida (7), and Oklahoma (6) rounding out the top three.
However, Texas is significantly on a downward trend when it comes to the death penalty. Fourteen years ago, the state sentenced 48 people to death and this year, the total was nine.
Maryland became the 18th state to nullify the death penalty because they were going to execute a man that was innocent in the case of a 9-year-old girl’s murder. However, DNA evidence then proved it was another criminal. Thus, states are afraid of executing innocent citizens.
Additionally, Europe, the leading manufacturer of lethal injections, has begun to outlaw capital punishment as well which is now beginning to resinate in America.
There are currently 3,108 Americans on death row, a number that has declined every year since 2000.
There is no sign as to whether or not the U.S. Supreme Court will take on the capital punishment debate.
Reach Executive Producer Jillian Morabito here.
