eath Penalty). Exonerations of this type mean that a large shadow of doubt underscores many executions. In 1999, the United States executed ninety-eight people and released eight from deathrows around the country. The state of Florida has freed a total of eighteen people. At least eighty-five people have been freed from death row since 1973 from errors at trial or discovery of exonerating evidence. Eight of these eighty-five hinge on DNA evidence proving that the individual did not commit the crime of which he or she was accused (Murray ). In Oklahoma, Ronald Williamson was freed due to prosecutorial misconduct after serving eight years. Clarence Dexter of Missouri was freed due to DNA evidence that proved he could not commit the crime for which he served eight years on death row (Case Against Death Penalty). According to a 1987 study conducted by Adam Bedau, a vocal anti-capital punishment scholar, twenty-three innocent people were executed in the last century alone. Another study conducted by the Stanford Law Review in 1987 places the figure at twenty-five (Eisenberg). Whatever the actual number, there is proof that innocent people have fallen victim to capital punishment in the United States (Eisenberg). When forming an opinion on a controversial topic, one must keep an open mind. It is important to gather as much reliable information as possible and look at every aspect of the subject. When making a view on the death penalty, one must consider the pros and cons to both sides of the issue. On the pro-capital punishment side, the death penalty does serve its purpose of punishing criminals for acts committed. If the penalty for a crime is not stiff enough, then justice is not served. Also, the family of the victim must be taken into consideration. The family has suffered greatly and deserves to see justice served. On the anti-capital punishment side, there will always be the argument of deterrence. Afte...