| Death
Penalty: |
YES |
| Prohibit
Execution of the Mentally Retarded: |
NO |
| Life
Without Parole: |
YES |
| Minimum
Age to Eligible for the Death Penalty: |
16 (5 juveniles currently on death row) |
| Number
on Death Row: |
76 |
| Executions
Since 1976: |
25 |
| Race
of Defendants: |
40 white (53%), 36 black (47%) |
| Racial
Ethnic Demographics: |
66% white, 30% black, 2% Hispanic, 1% Asian |
| Innocents
Exonerated: |
YES (3)—Michael Linder spent 2 years on death row before being released in 1981; Jesse Keith Brown was released in 1989 after six years; and Warren Douglas Manning was released in 1999 after serving 10 years. |
| Liebman/Columbia
Study Rate of Error: |
67% |
| Murder
Rate: |
8.0 per 100,000 (ranked 13th out of 51) |
| Governor: |
Jim Hodges (D). Elected 1998, term expires 2003, (),
|
| State
House: |
71 R’s – 53 D’s |
| State
Senate: |
Republican majority, exact figures unknown |
| US
House: |
Member Area Co-Sponsored :
Innocence Protection National Moratorium
Act? Act?
Henry E. Brown, Jr.(R) Hanahan NO NO
Floyd Spence (R) Lexington NO NO
Lindsey O. Graham (R) Seneca NO NO
Jim DeMint (R) Greenville NO NO
John M. Spratt, Jr. (D) York YES NO
James E. Clyburn (D) Columbia YES NO
|
| US
Senate: |
Ernest Hollings (D) and Strom Thurmond (R). Neither co-sponsored the Innocence Protection Act or the National Moratorium Act. |
| Presidential
Vote: |
57% Bush, 41%Gore, 1% Nader |
| Public
Opinion on the Death Penalty: |
see attached |
| Death
Penalty Legislation: |
SB236 and HB2048/3463- Prohibits the execution of anyone under the age of 18- both
died in committee
HB3054- Makes the mandatory minimum sentence in capital cases thirty years and the
maximum LWOP or death; Allows the jury to present an advisory verdict- died in committee
HB3819- Requires the judge, at defendant’s request, to tell the jury that LWOP means
incarceration until death- died in House Judiciary Committee
SJR90 and SB90- Allows a jury panel of ten jurors (instead of all twelve) to recommend
the death penalty- died in committee
HB3065- Makes murder while stalking an aggravating circumstance- died in committee
HB3067- Makes murder in violation of a protective or restraining order an aggravating
circumstance; Provides and equal number of peremptory jury challenges for the prosecutor and defense in death penalty cases; Allows for the introduction of any history of harm to a household victim when that harm is similar to the crime in question- died in committee
SB182- Makes the murder of a county detention facility officer an aggravating
circumstance- died in the House
HB3050- Makes murder while invading a home an aggravating circumstance- died in
committee
HB3223- Establishes the crimes of domestic terrorism, aiding and abetting domestic
terrorism, and conspiracy to commit domestic terrorism, and provides the death penalty for violation.
The bill failed. NOTE: Seeking to establish a state cabinet position for homeland security; duties would include coordination of anti-terrorism efforts and making recommendations to the governor. Gov. Jim Hodges believes the position is a good idea; the position could be established by legislative action or executive order. |
| Organizations
Endorsing a Moratorium: |
Amnesty International, Group 182
Call to Action South Carolina
Greenville Malcolm X Grassroots Movement
Hopewell United Methodist Church School
Our Lady of Peace Parrish
Poor Clare Nuns
St. Francis Inn, Soup Kitchen
|
| Catholic
Involvement: |
unknown |
| Organizations
Working FOR a Moratorium: |
ACLU of South Carolina
1338 Main Street, Suite 800
Columbia, SC 29201
LaVerne Neal-contact
803-771-6520-(day)
803-254-7374-(fax)
aclusc@aol.com
Amnesty International State Death Penalty Abolition Coordinator
Ron Katz-contact
843-795-3572-(day)
Amnesty International State Death Penalty Abolition Coordinator
Efia Nwangaza-contact
864-242-3039-(phone)
wangaza@aol.com
David Bruck*
P.O. Box 11744
Columbia, SC 29211
803-765-1044--(day)
803-765-1143--(fax)
david@brucklaw.com
www.capdefnet.com
South Carolina Center for Capital Litigation*
P.O. Box 11311
Columbia, SC 29211
Teresa Norris-contact
803-765-0650--(day)
803-765-0705--(fax)
South Carolina Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
6248 Yorkshire Drive
Columbia, SC 29209
Bruce Pearson, Julia Pearson-contacts
803-776-7471--(day, eve)
803-777-9064--(fax)
pearson6248@earthlink.net
|
| Clemency: |
The Governor has the exclusive authority to grant reprieves and to commute death sentences to life imprisonment |
| Who
Decides Sentence: |
Jury |
| Method
of Execution: |
Lethal injection or electrocution |
