Welcome to Capital Punishment in Context: A Resource for College Courses.
Register here for free access to our supplementary materials. Instructors can also gain access to teaching notes and extra supplementary materials through registration.
We hope this curriculum resource provides you with an innovative approach to exploring a complex subject through reading actual cases.
Capital Punishment in Context is designed to supplement a variety of college courses. It contains cases of individuals who were sentenced to death in the United States. Each case presents a narrative account of the individual's crime, trial and punishment, along with guidelines for analysis, discussion and further research on issues raised by the case. The narratives are supplemented by resources such as original police reports from the homicide investigation and transcripts of witness' testimony. After reading the case, you can further explore issues by following a series of links to additional information. Each case, with its related materials, opens a path through the criminal justice system.
Capital Punishment in Context contains video interviews with key figures in the case, such as attorneys, jurors and witnesses. There are also videos featuring legal experts, illuminating such complex subjects as the capital trial and appeals process. Along with the links to primary source materials, these videos add richness and depth to the cases.
Each of the Capital Punishment in Context case narratives highlights several broader issues. By clicking on a topic heading, you will be able to investigate those issues. These links also provide access to materials prepared by leading researchers and scholars.
Read MoreThe Case of Gary Graham
On June 23, 2000, Gary Graham was executed in Texas, despite claims that he was innocent. Graham was 17 when he was charged with the 1981 robbery and shooting of Bobby Lambert outside a Houston supermarket. He was convicted primarily on the testimony of one witness, Bernadine Skillern, who said she saw the killer's face for a few seconds through her car window shield, from a distance of 30 – 40 feet.Read More
The Case of Juan Garza
Juan Raul Garza was executed by the federal government on June 19, 2001, for the murder of three men who worked for him in his drug-smuggling business. Garza was the second person executed under the federal death penalty after its reinstatement in 1988. He was originally apprehended in Mexico, which does not use the death penalty. Read More