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Full-Text Articles in Law

Murder And Aggravated Murder, Paul C. Giannelli Jan 1999

Murder And Aggravated Murder, Paul C. Giannelli

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.


Childhood Abuse And Adult Murder: Implications For The Death Penalty, Phyllis L. Crocker Jan 1999

Childhood Abuse And Adult Murder: Implications For The Death Penalty, Phyllis L. Crocker

Law Faculty Articles and Essays

A jury that convicts a defendant of capital murder must then decide whether that defendant deserves a life sentence or death. Mitigating evidence is crucial to the defense at this stage because such evidence may provide the jury with a basis for imposing a life sentence. In this article, Professor Crocker argues that evidence that a defendant was abused as a child is paradigmatic mitigating evidence. A detailed presentation of the defendant's childhood experience and a cogent explanation of its long-term repercussions will enable the jury to understand why the defendant committed the crime, perhaps allowing the jury to sympathize …