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Sadie Rodriguez
Laurie Oberg
English 11
November 12, 2015
Is the Death Penalty Immoral?
The death penalty was reinstated in 1976 and is a very controversial topic overall,
considering how the decision on who gets the penalty can be completely biased. Allowing a
persons moral come between the decision of a persons death is a problem. Some may argue the
Death Penalty is essential to keep rule in our country, but death should never be the solution to
anything. The eighth amendment states"cruel and unusual punishments [shall not be] inflicted."
Death itself is cruel and unusual and society is implying that since they kill, they must be killed.
It is a deadly cycle that never ends so what lesson is our society learning after all? That death is
the solution to everything. My argument states that the death penalty is not a moral punishment.
There is controversy on the biased actions determining who gets the death penalty. The
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People argues, The U.S. Department of
Justices own figures reveal that between 2001 and 2006, 48 percent of defendants in federal
cases in which the death penalty was sought were African Americans the biggest argument
against the death penalty is that it is handed out in a biased, racially disparate manner."
Authorities claim that the Death Penalty is decided according to evidence of the crime. Those
who have committed a terrible crime in America, no matter the racial background, are convicted
equally. As told by Alex Kozinski, the Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth
Circuit, A society that is not willing to demand a life of somebody who has taken somebody

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else's life is simply immoral. People say that it just is a fact that minorities are most likely to
commit a death worthy crime. Others also argue that the beliefs stating the death penalty is
immoral are according to religion, which should not be involved in this kind of decision. Bruce
Fein, constitutional lawyer and general counsel to the Center for Law and Accountability
implies, Abolitionists may contend that the death penalty is inherently immoral because
governments should never take human life, no matter what the provocation. But that is an article
of faith, not of fact. But it should not be written in a book or on paper to know that taking a
persons life is incorrect, simply using common sense implies that.
Contrary to the previous arguments, according to 82% of studies state race of the victim is found
to influence the likelihood of being charged with the death penalty. Those who have murdered
people of white color are most likely to be sentenced to death than those who have murdered
people of black skin color. (United States General Accounting Office, Death Penalty Sentencing.)
Our society cant help but discriminate others by the pigment of their skin, its how our nation
has always been and it remains to always be that way. Of Course, this isnt appropriate it never
has been,therefore the decision of whose life will be taken should not be determined by ones
ethnic background. This is why the death row is a difficult and controversial penalty, because
even though people may argue otherwise, it is human nature to be biased.But eye for an eye is
not the answer, especially if the decision of who gets convicted isnt determined rationally.
Bryan Stevenson Professor of law at New York University states, The legacy of racial apartheid,
racial bias, and ethnic discrimination is unavoidably evident in the administration of capital
punishment in America.. It is a case that should not be ignored, especially when it comes to
taking the lives of others. It's a crucial punishment and it should be looked at thoroughly as
stated by The American Civil Liberties Union, It [capital punishment] is immoral in principle,

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and unfair and discriminatory in practice [...] No one deserves to die. When the government
metes out vengeance disguised as justice, it becomes complicit with killers in devaluing human
life and human dignity. We as a society convict murderers, but we become murderers doing so.
Its a killing cycle which we contribute too. Its controversial because of the biased decision
behind it, if a just decision cannot be made, then the death penalty should not be an option.
The death penalty is a topic filled with controversial decisions. If a person is to commit a
crime that cannot be forgiven then by all means that person should definitely have a punishment.
But on the contrary side, we are speaking of a human beings life. Some of these people who are
convicted, are proven innocent when they die, if they haven't been killed already. Considering
the fact that the decision on who is convicted is unjust and biased. There should definitely be
more consideration on who decides and how it happens and more investigation on that persons
case to avoid immorality in the death penalty.

Works Cited
ProCon.org. "Thurgood Marshall" ProCon.org. June 29, 1972
ProCon.org. "The American Civil Liberties Union 2004
Deathpenaltyinfo.org "United States General Accounting Office, Death Penalty Sentencing"
Deathpenalty.info.org. February. 1990.
Von Drehle, David. Death Penalty Walking. TIME, Jan 2008. Web.