| |
 |
| Death
Penalty: |
YES |
| Prohibit
Execution of the Mentally Retarded: |
YES. On July 22, 2002 the governor signed into law a bill that "Bars the imposition of a death sentence upon any defendant who is found by the sentencing court to be seriously mentally retarded at the time of his or her crime, thereby ensuring that Delaware's death penalty statute complies with the recent United States Supreme Court decision in Atkins v. Virginia, U.S." The new law is patterned after the statutes of several other states with similar provisions. |
| Life
Without Parole: |
YES |
| Minimum
Age to Eligible for the Death Penalty: |
16 |
| Number
on Death Row: |
20 |
| Executions
Since 1976: |
13 |
| Race
of Defendants: |
9 black (45%), 9 white (45%), 2 latino (10%) |
| Racial
Make-up of State Population: |
73% white, 20% black, 5% Hispanic, 2% Asian |
| Innocents
Exonerated: |
NO |
| Columbia
University Study Rate of Error in Capital Cases: |
26% |
| Murder
Rate: |
2.8 per 100,000 (ranked 41st out of 51) |
| Governor: |
Ruth Ann Minner, (Democrat),
|
| Presidential
Vote: |
55% Gore, 42% Bush, 3% Nader |
| Organizations
Endorsing a Moratorium: |
City of Wilmington
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Delaware (Wilmington)
Delaware Center for Justice Incorporated (Wilmington)
Delaware Citizens Opposed to the Death Penalty (Wilmington)
Episcopal Diocese of Delaware (Wilmington)
Ursulines of Delaware (Wilmington)
|
| Organizations
Working FOR a Moratorium: |
ACLU of Delaware
100 West 10th St. Suite 309
Wilmington, DE 19801
Judith Mellen-contact
302-654-3966--(day)
302-654-3689--(fax)
[email protected]
www.aclu-de.org
Amnesty International State Death Penalty Abolition Coordinator
Anne Coleman-contact
302-674-2496--(day)
[email protected]
Because Love Allows Compassion
270 Beechwood Ave.
Dover, DE 19901
Anne Coleman-contact
302-674-2496--(day)
[email protected]
Delaware Citizens Opposed to the Death Penalty*
Kent County Chapter
430 Kings Highway, Apt 4307
Dover, DE 19901-7538
Jeanne Wilhelm-contact
302-674-2312-(phone)
Delaware Citizens Opposed to the Death Penalty*
New Castle County Chapter
1304 North Rodney Street
Wilmington, DE 19806
John J. Beer-contact
302-368-1041-(phone)
Sally Milbury-Steen-contact
302-656-2721-(phone)
Kevin O'Connel-contact
302-984-3355-(phone)
Pacem in Terris
1304 North Rodney St.
Wilmington, DE 19801
Sally Milbury-Steen-contact
302-656-2721--(day)
302-656-2730--(fax)
Public Defenders Office
820 N. French St.
Wilmington, DE 19801
Bernie O'Donnell-contact
302-577-5119--(day)
302-577-3995--(fax) |
| Clemency: |
The Governor has the authority to grant clemency on the advice of the Board of Pardons. The Governor needs a favorable recommendation from the board in order to grant clemency, but does not have to go along with the recommendation. |
| Who
Decides Sentence: |
Judge. However, this state must comply with the recent United States Supreme Court decision, Ring v. Arizona, which states that it is unconstitutional to allow judges to increase jury sentences from life imprisonment to death. |
| Method
of Execution: |
Delaware authorizes lethal injection for those whose capital offense was committed after 6/13/86. People who committed the offense before that date may select either lethal injection or hanging. |
