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The death penalty is the ultimate denial of civil liberties, and violates the Eighth Amendment protection against cruel and unusual punishment. Moreover, capital punishment is often unfairly and unjustly applied. For example, most death row inmates are poor and could not afford adequate legal representation at their trials. Minorities are more likely to be sentenced to death than whites, and cases involving white victims are more likely to end in a death sentence that cases involving black victims. Additionally, where a death sentence is sought often determines whether a defendant is sentenced to death more than the circumstances of the crime. Studies also show that the death penalty is not an effective crime deterrent, and that captial punishment is more expensive than life in prison without parole.
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