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 SENTENCES AND 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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