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MARYLAND
COMMISSION ON
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
FINAL REPORT
TO THE
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
December 12, 2008
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS............................................................................................................... 2
COMMISSIONER LIST................................................................................................................ 4
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS FROM THE CHAIRMAN.................................................................. 6
INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................... 7
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY............................................................................................................ 9
1. RACIAL DISPARITIES ................................................................................................. 10
2. JURISDICTIONAL DISPARITIES................................................................................ 12
3. SOCIO-ECONOMIC DISPARITIES ............................................................................. 14
4. THE COMPARISON OF COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH DEATH SENTENCES AND
THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH SENTENCES OF LIFE IMPRISONMENT WITHOUT
THE POSSIBILITY OF PAROLE ........................................................................................... 15
5. THE EFFECTS OF PROLONGED COURT CASES INVOLVING CAPITAL
PUNISHMENT AND THOSE INVOLVING LIFE IMPRISONMENT WITHOUT THE
POSSIBILITY OF PAROLE.................................................................................................... 16
6. THE RISK OF INNOCENT PEOPLE BEING EXECUTED......................................... 18
7. THE IMPACT OF DNA EVIDENCE IN ASSURING FAIRNESS AND ACCURACY
IN CAPITAL CASES............................................................................................................... 20
DETERRENCE........................................................................................................................ 22
FINAL RECOMMENDATION OF THE MARYLAND COMMISSION ON CAPITAL
PUNISHMENT......................................................................................................................... 23
VOTING RECORD ................................................................................................................. 25
ISSUE 1: RACIAL DISPARITIES.............................................................................................. 26
Racial Disparities Throughout the Criminal Justice System.................................................... 26
Racial Disparities in the Maryland’s Capital Sentencing System............................................ 27
Racial Bias and Capital Juries.................................................................................................. 31
The Negative Effects That Racial Disparities Have on the Criminal Justice System.............. 32
ISSUE 2: JURISDICTIONAL DISPARITIES............................................................................ 36
The Presence of Jurisdictional Disparities in Maryland’s Capital Punishment System .......... 36
The Source of Jurisdictional Disparities in Capital Cases....................................................... 38
The Problem with Jurisdictional Disparities............................................................................ 39
ISSUE 3: SOCIO-ECONOMIC DISPARITIES.......................................................................... 41
ISSUE 4: A COMPARISON OF THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH DEATH SENTENCESAND THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH SENTENCES OF LIFE IMPRISONMENT
WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF PAROLE ........................................................................... 44
The Cost of Capital Cases........................................................................................................ 44
Why Do Capital Cases Cost More? ......................................................................................... 47
What Has Maryland Gained From Its Capital Punishment System? ....................................... 50
Will Elimination of the Death Penalty Increase Some Costs?................................................. 52
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ISSUE 5: A COMPARISON OF THE EFFECTS OF PROLONGED COURT CASES
INVOLVING CAPITAL PUNISHMENT AND THOSE INVOLVING LIFE IMPRISONMENT
WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF PAROLE ........................................................................... 55
ISSUE 6: THE RISK OF INNOCENT PEOPLE BEING EXECUTED .................................... 61
A. Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 61
B. Widespread Exonerations and Reversals Reveal Fatal Flaws in the Capital System...... 62
C. Frailty of Eyewitness Testimony..................................................................................... 64
D. False Confession Cases ................................................................................................... 66
E. Limitations of Science..................................................................................................... 70
F. Legal Complexities and Prohibitive Defense Costs ........................................................ 75
G. Erosion of Public Trust and Confidence in the Judicial System..................................... 79
ISSUE 7: THE IMPACT OF DNA EVIDENCE IN ASSURING FAIRNESS AND
ACCURACY IN CAPITAL CASES............................................................................................ 82
A. Role of DNA Evidence in Investigations, Prosecutions, and Exonerations.................... 82
B. Scarcity of Credible DNA Evidence ............................................................................... 84
C. “DNA is a Hard Science”................................................................................................ 85
D. DNA Labs Are Not Error-Free........................................................................................ 89
E. DNA Laws in Maryland .................................................................................................. 90
F. Conclusions Relating to DNA......................................................................................... 93
OTHER ISSUES .......................................................................................................................... 95
Deterrence ................................................................................................................................ 95
A Religious Perspective on Capital Punishment.................................................................... 105
The Risk to Correctional Officers.......................................................................................... 108
Juror Issues: Comment Arising from Jury Composition and Qualification........................... 110
APPENDIX A: Report of the Victims’ Subcommittee.............................................................. 111
Victim Services in Maryland ................................................................................................. 111
Victim Services in the Future for Maryland .......................................................................... 112
Conclusion of the Victims’ Subcommittee............................................................................ 117
Victims’ Subcommittee Chart................................................................................................ 119
APPENDIX B: Commission Member Biographical Information.............................................. 120
APPENDIX C: Testimony List.................................................................................................. 125
SOURCES CITED ..................................................................................................................... 128
Articles, Reports and Lectures ............................................................................................... 128
Oral Testimony....................................................................................................................... 130
Written Testimony ................................................................................................................. 132
Maryland Statutes and Regulations........................................................................................ 133
Court Cases ............................................................................................................................ 133
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