Capital Punishment has been an item of debate for more than four hundred years.  Dating back as far as the fifth century B.C., the death penalty was displayed in actions of crucifixions, drowning, burning individuals alive, and beating individuals to death.  After exercising these methods for a long period of time, a new method of hanging became the major and frequent used method of execution.  Executions in America began in 1608 in the Jamestown colony of Virginia when Captain George Kendall was executed due to suspicions of being a spy for Spain.  As time passed, laws in reference to capital punishment varied from colony to colony with executions for crimes as small as killing chickens with Britain attempting to reform capital punishment for all crimes except treason and murder.  As Americans continued to debate the death penalty, high profile cases initiated questions of constitutional rights, morals, and cruel and unusual punishment.  Along with the said, some opponents expressed the death penalty as an exercise which was highly favored among minority defendants or poor individuals who were unable to afford a lawyer.  Statistics have shown that race remains an issue in the forefront of America’s Capital Punishment debate; indicating who lives or who dies by execution.  
       The death penalty exists in 34 states in the United States of America.  Currently only 16 states actually perform executions which are carried out by lethal injection.  Right now, more than 3,500 inmates sit on Death Row in America.  Most are poor, and a disproportionate number are people of color.  In addition, most had legal representation that were inadequate and incompetent. 


Reference

Connors, Paul G. (2007). Capital punishment.

Friedman, Lauri S. (2011). The death penalty.