ocedure would neither take so long nor cost so much" Of the 5,760 death sentences imposed between 1973 and 1995, 4,578 (79%) were reviewed on direct appeal by a state high court. 17 Of those, 1,885 (41%; over two out of five) were thrown out because of serious error, i.e., error that the reviewing court concludes has seriously undermined the reliability of the outcome or otherwise harmed the defendant. 18 In Maryland, at least 52% of capital judgments reviewed on state post-conviction from1973 and 1995 were overturned due to serious error. 19 The overall error-rate, is a crucial factor in assessing the effectiveness of the capital punishment. Nationally, over the entire 1973-1995 periods, the overall error-rate in our capital punishment system was 68%. 20 In the cases in which no error was detected at the third inspection stage and an execution occurred, the average time between sentence and execution was 9 years. Matters did not improve over time. In the last 7 study years (1989-95), the average time between sentence and execution rose to 10.6 years. 21 Results from a parallel study by the U.S. Department of Justice suggest that our 32%, or one-in-three, figure for valid death sentences actually overstates the chance of execution: Included in the Justice Department study is a report of the outcome as of the end of 1998 of the 263 death sentences imposed in 1989. 22 A final disposition of only 103 of the 263 death sentences had been reached nine years later. 23 Of those 103, 78 or (76%) had been overturned by a state or federal court. Only 13 death sentences had been carried out. 24 The moral issues concerning the legitimacy of the death have been brought by many abolitionists. They think that respect for life forbids the use of the death penalty, while proponents believe that respect for life requires it. Proponents says the bible (Genesis 9:6) says, "Whosoever sheds man's blood, by man may his blood be shed." This classic argum...
