About this episode

The episode debates whether the death penalty should be abolished, exploring arguments from both supporters and opponents.

Fifty years after the Supreme Court reinstated capital punishment, the death penalty remains one of America's most divisive issues. Supporters argue it delivers justice for the most heinous crimes, provides closure for victims’ families, and ensures the worst offenders can never kill again. Opponents point to wrongful convictions, racial disparities, and the moral consequences of allowing the state to take a life, arguing that life without parole is enough. Now we debate: Should the Death Penalty Be Abolished? This ethical conundrum is at the crux of this week's debate, originally broadcast in April 2015.   Arguing YES:  Diann Rust-Tierney, Executive Director of the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty  Barry Scheck, Co-Director of the Innocence Project and Professor at Cardozo Law School  Arguing NO:  Robert Blecker, Professor at New York Law School  Kent Scheidegger, Legal Director of the Criminal Justice Legal Foundation  Emmy award-winning journalist John Donvan moderates  Join the conversation on Substack—share your perspective on this episode and subscribe to our weekly newsletter for curated…

People in this episode

Host: John Donvan

Guests: Diann Rust-Tierney, Barry Scheck, Robert Blecker, Kent Scheidegger

Topics covered

• death penalty
• capital punishment
• justice
• wrongful convictions
• racial disparities
• moral consequences

Keywords

• death penalty
• abolition
• capital punishment
• justice
• wrongful convictions
• racial disparities
• ethical debate

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, Innocence Project, Cardozo Law School, New York Law School, Criminal Justice Legal Foundation

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