What Considerations Does a Jury Have to Make When Considering the Death Penalty?
While most states have capital punishment, the use of the death penalty has become rarer and rarer. Overall, the use of the death penalty has declined across the country. In fact, in 2017, under 40 death penalty sentences were invoked compared to 300 annually in the 1990s. That said, if you are facing criminal charges that could result in capital punishment, it’s imperative that you retain a St. Louis criminal defense lawyer as soon as you can. MISSOURI AND THE DEATH PENALTY Missouri is a death penalty state. The downward death penalty trend is reflected in data on Missouri death penalty rates which provide that between 2020 to present, there has been one death sentence imposed annually. This is a major change from the late 1970s to 2020, a period during which there were 90 executions. JURORS’ ROLE A jury plays a major role in determining whether the defendant charged with a serious crime lives or dies. Specifically, jurors have a responsibility to accurately follow a trial judge...