Racial Bias

Despite many different reports and changes to the death penalty in the hopes of standardizing the sentencing process, it has still been shown to be racially biased. Before a case goes to trial, the prosecutor has to declare that he will be seeking the death penalty for the defendant so that a special two-part trial can be set up. In a famous study by David Baldus in the late 1980's, it was discovered that in Georgia, the prosecutor sought the death penalty in 70% of cases with a black defendant and a white victim, while only seeking the death penalty in 15% of cases with white offenders and black victims. Also, 80% of offenders executed were those who's victims had been white, despite 50% of all murder victims being black*. For a practice so old and regualated by law to supposedly make it fair, this racial bias is unexceptable. The decision whether an inmate lives or dies hinges on their race and the race of their victim. The United States claims to be an advanced nation, and we cannot accept this injustice in our society.