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46 Santa Clara L. Rev. 1 (2005-2006)
The Impact of Legally Inappropriate Factors on Death Sentencing for California Homicides, 1990-1999

handle is hein.journals/saclr46 and id is 19 raw text is: THE IMPACT OF LEGALLY INAPPROPRIATE FACTORS ON DEATH SENTENCING FOR CALIFORNIA HOMICIDES, 1990-1999 Glenn L. Pierce* Michael L. Radelet** This study examines the racial, ethnic, and geographical variations present in the imposition of the death penalty in California. In doing so, it analyzes all reported homicides committed in California during the 1990s, comparing those that resulted in a death sentence with those that did not. I. OVERVIEW A. The Death Penalty in California, 1972-2003 In February 1972, the California Supreme Court emptied * Principal Research Scientist, Institute for Race and Justice and College of Criminal Justice, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts; B.A., Bates College; M.A., Northeastern University; Ph.D., Northeastern University. ** Professor and Chair, Department of Sociology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado; B.A., Michigan State University; M.A., Eastern Michigan University; Ph.D., Purdue University. The authors appreciate the assistance in gathering data on California death sentences from Michael Millman and John Tate from the California Appellate Project and Santa Clara University law students David Richter and Courtney Salera. Portions of the California homicide data were obtained from the California Department of Health Services, Center for Health Statistics. The authors thank Alan Saiz, College of Criminal Justice, Northeastern University, for his consultation and database management. The authors also thank David C. Baldus, Samuel R. Gross, and Elisabeth Semel for their helpful comments on earlier drafts. Finally, the authors would like to acknowledge the support provided by the Institute on Race and Justice and the College of Criminal Justice, Northeastern University, and the Department of Sociology, University of Colorado. The analyses, interpretations, and conclusions reported herein are solely those of the authors.