Drew Simshaw (Law professor)

In capital cases, jurors are questioned on their beliefs on the death penalty.

In capital cases, jurors are questioned on their beliefs on the death penalty.

The court wants to know, would this juror be open to all of the potential punishments that are on the table, be it life in prison or be it death? So if it's determined that a juror would not be able to faithfully and impartially apply the law at the sentencing phase, they would be excused from the jury.

The court wants to know, would this juror be open to all of the potential punishments that are on the table, be it life in prison or be it death? So if it's determined that a juror would not be able to faithfully and impartially apply the law at the sentencing phase, they would be excused from the jury.

There's concerns that these juries, in weeding out certain potential jurors, would have fewer women, fewer African Americans, fewer people of certain religious faiths that tend to be opposed to the death penalty. Your jury is going to look less representative of the general population. It's going to be more white males, and it's going to be more people who are prone to convict.

There's concerns that these juries, in weeding out certain potential jurors, would have fewer women, fewer African Americans, fewer people of certain religious faiths that tend to be opposed to the death penalty. Your jury is going to look less representative of the general population. It's going to be more white males, and it's going to be more people who are prone to convict.

The appeals could take decades. So inmates can spend decades on death row. In that of dying of old age anyway. Some might. Some might.

The appeals could take decades. So inmates can spend decades on death row. In that of dying of old age anyway. Some might. Some might.