The world watched, transfixed, as Georgia man Troy Davis headed for execution by lethal injection in September, with many calling the execution unjust. A Republican debate audience that same month cheered loudly as Texas Gov. Rick Perry defended his state’s record of executing more death row inmates than any other governor in modern times. But death penalty opponents might breathe a sigh of relief today.The number of new death sentences in 2011 fell below 100 for the first time in more than three decades, according to a report by the Death Penalty Information Center, a non-profit organization focusing on spreading information about capital punishment. In 2011, 78 inmates were sentenced to death, compared to 112 in 2010 and 224 in 2000.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=103317