Review by Choice Review
Latzer has done a wonderful job of editing many of the most important Supreme Court decisions on the death penalty over the past 30 years. He begins with a good introduction on the law and capital punishment, in which he presents of some of the history of the Eighth Amendment (since this amendment prohibits cruel and unusual punishments), the laws and procedures that currently define and govern capital proceedings, and the extralegal debate (focusing on deterrence, retribution, incapacitation, mistake, and race). This introduction provides those unfamiliar with the constitutional and philosophical debates about the death penalty sufficient information to comprehend the substantive debates as they have played out in the Supreme Court. Twenty-two cases are presented that cover the breadth of debate, including issues surrounding mandatory death sentences, aggravating and mitigating circumstances, jury selection, victim impact statements, proportional sentencing review, death-qualified juries, and the execution of juveniles, among others. The cases are edited and footnotes deleted, which facilitates lay reader understanding of the arguments the Supreme Court has considered to reach decisions about the death penalty. Both the majority and dissenting opinions are included and are edited to maintain a balanced presentation. The book concludes with a helpful appendix of facts and figures on murder and the death penalty. A useful "editor's comment" on the case is offered for most of the cases. Very highly recommended for general collections. M. A. Foley Marywood University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
