Death Penalty Discrimination

We have looked at misunderstandings of

discrimination,

the concept of institutional discrimination,

and basic patterns of discrimination --

Now the research data:

Death Penalty Discrimination

The evidence of race/ethnic discrim

-- 4 key patterns

1. M/W cases over-represented2. M/M cases under-represented3. Not a result of case differences4. Disparities result from prosecutor decisions - discretion

Basic patterns by racial combination of

offender and victim (Gross & Mauro)

TABLE 1. PERCENTAGE OF HOMICIDE CASES RESULTING IN DEATH SENTENCES IN EIGHT STATES, BY RACE OF DEFENDANT/RACE OF VICTIM COMBINATIONS (SEE GROSS AND MAURO 1989, PP. 45 AND 235-245).

GEORGIA FLORIDA ILLINOIS OKLAHOMA N.C. MISS. VIRGINIA ARK.

B/W % 20.1 13.7 7.5 16.7 7.1 25.0 8.2 12.3 (32/159) (34/249) (16/213) (6/36) (7/99) (10/40) (8/98) (7/57)

W/W % 5.7 5.2 1.9 6.6 1.9 4.2 1.3 1.8 (35/614) (80/1547) (19/980) (34/519) (14/739) (7/167) (7/544) (6/339)

B/B % .8 .7 .6 1.3 .2 .5 .6 .5 (11/1310) (11/1612) (10/1809) (3/237) (2/935) (3/621) (4/703) (2/388)

W/B % 2.9 4.3 .0 .0 3.8 11.1 .0 .0 (1/34) (3/69) (0/56) (0/13) (1/26) (2/18) (0/39) (0/10)

Georgia - 22 to 1 ratio of BW to BB

GEORGIA

B/W % 20.1 (32/159)

W/W % 5.7 (35/614)

B/B % .8 (11/1310)

W/B % 2.9 (1/34)

Same data arranged as ratios of death sentences to homicides

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------TABLE 2. RATIO OF PERCENTAGE OF ALL DEATH SENTENCES TO PERCENTAGE OF ALL HOMICIDE CASES FOR EIGHT STATES, BY RACE OF DEFENDANT/RACE OF VICTIM COMBINATIONS (GROSS AND MAURO PP. 45, 235-245).----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

GEORGIA FLORIDA ILLINOIS OKLAHOMA N.C. MISS. VIRGINIA ARK.

B/W % 41/8 27/7 36/7 14/5 29/6 46/5 42/7 47/7 (32/159) (34/249) (16/213) (6/36) (7/99) (10/40) (8/98) (7/57)

W/W % 45/29 63/45 42/32 79/65 59/41 32/20 37/40 40/43 (35/614) (80/1547) (19/980) (34/519) (14/739) (7/167) (7/544) (6/339)

B/B % 14/62 9/47 22/59 7/30 9/52 14/73 21/51 14/49 (11/1310) (11/1612) (10/1809) (3/237) (2/935) (3/621) (4/703) (2/388)

W/B % 1/2 3/2 0/2 0/2 4/2 10/2 0/3 0/1 (1/34) (3/69) (0/56) (0/13) (1/26) (2/18) (0/39) (0/10)

TOTALS: (79/2117) (128/3477) (45/3058) (43/805) (24/1799) (22/856) (19/1384) (15/794)----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Georgia data arranged as ratios

GEORGIA

B/W % 41/8 (32/159)

W/W % 45/29 (35/614)

B/B % 14/62 (11/1310)

W/B % 1/2 (1/34)

If case characteristics accounted for the differences, then percentages for B/W and W/W should be about the same.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------TABLE 3. PERCENTAGE OF CASES RESULTING IN DEATH PENALTIES IN FOUR STATES FOR "LESS SERIOUS" CRIMES INVOLVING WHITE VICTIMS (GROSS AND MAURO PP. 235-245).---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OKLAHOMA N. CAROLINA MISSISSIPPI VIRGINIA

B/W W/W B/W W/W B/W W/W B/W W/W

NON-FELONY 9.5 3.6 0.0 1.1 18.8 0.7 0.0 0.0

NON-STRANGER 9.5 2.7 5.7 1.1 28.6 2.9 6.3 0.7

SINGLE VICTIM 19.4 4.9 4.3 1.7 26.3 3.2 6.8 1.1----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oklahoma data singled out - if no discrim

B/W and W/W should be similar

OKLAHOMA

B/W W/W

NON-FELONY 9.5 3.6

NON-STRANGER 9.5 2.7

SINGLE VICTIM 19.4 4.9

Juries aren’t responsible for the main disparities - prosecutor decisions are!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------TABLE 4. PERCENTAGE OF GEORGIA HOMICIDE CASES RESULTING IN: (1) MURDER CONVICTION ATTRIAL; (2) MURDER CONVICTION AT TRIAL AND PROSECUTOR SEEKS DEATH SENTENCE, (3) MURDERCONVICTION AT TRIAL, PROSECUTOR SEEKS DEATH SENTENCE, JURY RETURNS DEATH SENTENCE, BYRACE OF DEFENDANT/RACE OF VICTIM COMBINATIONS (BALDUS STUDY OF GEORGIA).----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CONV PROS JURY

B/W % 53.2 70.2 59.1 (124/233) (87/124) (55/93)

W/W % 41.7 31.7 57.1 (312/748) (99/312) (64/112)

B/B % 17.3 15.2 43.2 (250/1443) (38/250) (19/44)

W/B % 35.0 19.0 50.0 (21/60) (4/21) (2/4)

A closer look at the patterns ....

CONV PROS JURY

B/W 53.2 70.2 59.1

W/W 41.7 31.7 57.1

B/B 17.3 15.2 43.2

W/B 35.0 19.0 50.0

Overall patterns of discrimination are entirely

a result of prosecutor decisions! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TABLE 5. PROPORTIONAL BREAKDOWN OF GEORGIA HOMICIDE CASES BY FOUR RACE OF DEFENDANT/RACE OF VICTIM COMBINATIONS AT DIFFERENT DECISION-MAKING STAGES IN THE CAPITAL PUNISHMENT SYSTEM: (1) ALL SHR HOMICIDE CASES IN GROSS AND MAURO DATA; (2) ALL HOMICIDE CASES IN THE BALDUS CSS SAMPLE; (3) ALL CASES RESULTING IN CONVICTIONS FOR FIRST DEGREE MURDER, BALDUS CSS SAMPLE; (4) FIRST � DEGREE MURDER CONVICTIONS IN WHICH PROSECUTOR SOUGHT A DEATH SENTENCE, BALDUS CSS SAMPLE; (5) FIRST DEGREE MURDER CONVICTIONS IN WHICH PROSECUTOR SOUGHT THE DEATH PENALTY AND JURY RETURNED DEATH SENTENCE, BALDUS CSS SAMPLE; (5) ACTUAL EXECUTIONS, 1976-1992, NAACP-LDF. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) SHR CSS CONVS SEEKS SENT EXEC CASES CASES B/W % 8 10 18 38 39 69 W/W % 29 30 44 44 46 23 B/B % 62 58 36 18 14 8 W/B % 2 3 3 2 2 0 TOTALS: 101 101 101 102 101 100 (NOTE: PERCENTAGE DISCREPANCIES DUE TO ROUNDING) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A closer look at these patterns (Baldus)

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) SHR CSS CONVS SEEK SENT EXEC

B/W 8 10 18 38 39 69

W/W 29 30 44 44 46 23

B/B 62 58 36 18 14 8

W/B 2 3 3 2 2 0

Similar patterns show up in execution data

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------TABLE 6. EXECUTIONS: 1977 - 1992, BY RACE OF DEFENDANT/RACE OF VICTIM, NATIONAL TOTALS. (BASED ON NAACP-LDF "DEATH ROW U.S.A." BULLETIN, JANUARY 1993).---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1977-83 84 85 86 87 TOT 1988 89 90 91 92 TOT

B\W 1 7 4 5 9 26 1 5 5 3 7 21W\W 9 13 7 8 9 46 5 7 15 4 16 47B\B 1 1 3 1 1 7 3 4 2 2 2 13W\B 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1OTH 0 0 2 3 3 8 0 1 0 1 5 7

OTH: 1 BLACK/ASIAN 3 LATINO/WHITE OTH: 1 BLACK/ASIAN 2 LATINO/WHITE 1 BLACK/LATINO 1 LATINO/ASIAN 1 WHITE/ASIAN 2 LATINO/LATINO 2 LATINO/LATINO 1 NATIVE AMER/WHITE

GEORGIA THRU 1986: B/W 6 W/W 1 BB 0 WB 0 OTH 0GEORGIA THRU 1992: B/W 9 W/W 3 BB 1 WB 0 OTH 0----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Executions start with W/W 1977 - 1984 (avoiding racism?)

B/W catch up by 1987, but then drop in 1988! Why?

W/W again after McCleskey v. Kemp, with B/W catching up again.

Note: Few B/B throughout (Min/Min most homicides)

Note: No W/B until 1991 (14 years!)

“Other” and American “Color Line”

Georgia patterns

1977-83 84 85 86 87 TOT 1988 89 90 91 92 TOT B\W 1 7 4 5 9 26 1 5 5 3 7 21 W\W 9 13 7 8 9 46 5 7 15 4 16 47 B\B 1 1 3 1 1 7 3 4 2 2 2 13 W\B 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 OTH 0 0 2 3 3 8 0 1 0 1 5 7 OTH: 1 BLACK/ASIAN 3 LATINO/WHITE OTH: 1 BLACK/ASIAN 2 LAT/WHITE 1 BLACK/LATINO 1 LATINO/ASIAN 1 WHITE/ASIAN 2 LAT/LATINO 2 LATINO/LATINO 1 NATIVE AMER/WHITE GEORGIA THRU 1986: B/W 6 W/W 1 BB 0 WB 0 OTH 0 GEORGIA THRU 1992: B/W 9 W/W 3 BB 1 WB 0 OTH 0

JUVENILE EXEC BY DECADE 1900-10 23 1910-20 24 1920-30 27 1930-40 41 1940-50 53 1950-60 16 1960-70 3

43 BLACK JUVS WERE EXEC FOR RAPE, ALL IN SOUTHERN STATES. 42 OF THE 43 CASES INVOLVED WHITE VICTIMS. NO WHITE JUV WAS EVER EXEC FOR RAPE.

JUV EXEC, BY RACE, SOUTH ONLY

BLACK - 162 WHITE - 13

JUV EXEC, BY RACE, 1900'S

BLACK 138WHITE 37OTHER 8

JUV EXEC, BY RACE OF VIC, 1900'S

BLACK 6WHITE 132OTHER 4

W/W 37B/B 6W/B 0B/W 95

Inferring patterns from data: (Note: Mult Offs & Vic)

JUVENILES ON DEATH ROW 11-1-86

B/W 16W/W 14 58% DEF BLACKB/B 6W/B 2 79% VIC WHITE

JUVS ON DEATH ROW 11-1-86 SOUTH

B/W 14W/W 10 57% DEF BLACKB/B 2W/B 2 86% VIC WHITE

WW2 military executions (Dr. Robert Lilly’s research)

Similar basic patterns!! Also, prosecutors, not juries!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------TABLE 8. RACE AND CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN THE U.S. MILITARY DURING WORLD WAR II (RESEARCH CURRENTLY IN PROGRESS BY J. ROBERT LILLY, NORTHERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY).

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)

WHITE % 91 78 60 54 55 21

BLACK % 9 22 40 46 45 79

--- --- --- --- --- ---TOTALS: 100 100 100 100 100 100

(1) PERCENTAGES OF WHITES AND BLACKS SERVING IN EUROPEAN THEATER DURING WORLD WAR II.(2) PERCENTAGES ACCUSED OF GENERAL COURT MARTIAL OFFENSE.(3) PERCENTAGES ACCUSED OF CAPITAL OFFENSE.(4) PERCENTAGES FOUND GUILTY OF CAPITAL OFFENSE.(5) PERCENTAGES SENTENCED TO DEATH.(6) PERCENTAGES ACTUALLY EXECUTED.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A closer look ....

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)

WHITE % 91 78 60 54 55 21

BLACK % 9 22 40 46 45 79

--- --- --- --- --- ---TOTALS: 100 100 100 100 100 100

“We have three classes of homicide” I was told by the

chief of detectives in a large southern city.

“If a n____ kills a white man that’s murder.

If a white man kills a n____ that’s justifiable homicide.

If a n____ kills another n____ that’s one less n____.”

(Raymond Fosdick, American Police Systems, 1920)

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