Appendix A: National and State Capital Punichment Report
Cards
National Composite Capital Punishment Report Card
History
|
First Death
Sentence
|
1973
|
|
First Direct
Appeal
|
1973
|
|
First Consensual
Execution
|
1977
|
|
First Non-Consensual
Execution
|
1979
|
|
Years From First
Death Sentence to First Non-Consensual Execution
|
6
|
|
Average Years
From Sentence to Execution
|
9
|
|
Average Years
From Sentence to Final Federal Relief
|
8.58
|
Sentences and Executions #9;
|
Total Number
of Death Sentences
|
5,826
|
|
Total Number
of Executions
|
313
|
|
Percentage of
Death Sentences Carried Out
|
5%
|
Error Rates
State Direct Appeal
|
Number Reviewed
on Direct Appeal
|
4,546
|
|
Number Reversed
on Direct Appeal
|
1,852
|
|
Percentage Reversed
on Direct Appeal
|
41%
|
|
Number Awaiting
Direct Appeal
|
1,280
|
|
Percentage Awaiting
Direct Appeal
|
22%
|
|
Number Forward
to State Post-Conviction
|
2,694
|
State Post-Conviction
|
Number Reviewed
on Post-Conviction
|
Unknown
|
|
Number Reversed
on Post-Conviction
|
$257
|
|
Percentage Reversed
on Post-Conviction
|
$10%
|
|
Number Forward
to Federal Habeas Corpus
|
Unknown
|
State Direct Appeal and State Post-Conviction Combined (28 States)
|
Overall Rate
of Error Found by State Courts
|
$46%
|
Error Rates
Federal Habeas Corpus (28 States)
|
Number Reviewed
on Habeas
|
598
|
|
Number Reversed
on Habeas
|
240
|
|
Percentage Reversed
on Habeas
|
40%
|
Overall Rates Including [and Excluding] State Post-Conviction
(28 States)
|
Overall Error
Rate
|
68%
[65%]
|
|
Overall Success
Rate
|
32%
[35%]
|
Sources: DRCen; Death Row U.S.A.,
Winter 2000; DADB; HCDB; Appendix
Table A-1: State-by-State Comparisons of Direct Appeal,
State Post-Conviction, and Federal Habeas Corpus
Reversal Rates and Overall Error Rates
|
State
|
% Reversed on State Direct Appeal
|
% Reversed
on
State Post-
Conviction*
|
% Reversed
in State Courts, Overall*
|
Percent
Reversed on Federal
Habeas
Corpus
|
Overall
Error Rate, Excluding State PC
|
Overall
Error Rate, Including State PC*
|
|
Alabama
|
54
|
9
|
58
|
45
|
75
|
77
|
|
Arizona
|
41
|
11
|
48
|
60
|
77
|
79
|
|
Arkansas
|
40
|
4
|
43
|
48
|
69
|
70
|
|
California
|
32
|
4
|
35
|
80
|
86
|
87
|
|
Colorado
|
75
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
|
Connecticut
|
100
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
|
Delaware
|
30
|
unknown
|
unknown
|
0
|
30
|
unknown
|
|
Florida
|
50
|
17
|
58
|
39
|
69
|
75
|
|
Georgia
|
36
|
12
|
44
|
65
|
78
|
80
|
|
Idaho
|
40
|
5
|
43
|
67
|
80
|
81
|
|
Illinois
|
39
|
10
|
46
|
30
|
58
|
62
|
|
Indiana
|
27
|
27
|
46
|
50
|
63
|
73
|
|
Kentucky
|
52
|
0
|
52
|
100
|
100
|
100
|
|
Louisiana
|
47
|
5
|
50
|
27
|
61
|
63
|
|
Maryland
|
53
|
48
|
75
|
100
|
100
|
100
|
|
Mississippi
|
57
|
26
|
68
|
76
|
90
|
92
|
|
Missouri
|
17
|
5
|
21
|
15
|
30
|
33
|
|
Montana
|
15
|
9
|
23
|
75
|
79
|
81
|
|
Nebraska
|
36
|
14
|
45
|
43
|
64
|
69
|
|
Nevada
|
30
|
7
|
35
|
50
|
65
|
68
|
|
New Jersey
|
87
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
|
New Mexico
|
25
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
|
No. Carolina
|
59
|
10
|
63
|
18
|
67
|
70
|
|
Ohio
|
24
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
|
Oklahoma
|
46
|
2
|
47
|
50
|
73
|
74
|
|
Oregon
|
88
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
|
Pennsylvania
|
29
|
1
|
30
|
33
|
53
|
53
|
|
So. Carolina
|
54
|
18
|
62
|
14
|
60
|
67
|
|
Tennessee
|
29
|
16
|
41
|
100
|
100
|
100
|
|
Texas
|
30
|
6
|
34
|
25
|
48
|
51
|
|
Utah
|
36
|
21
|
50
|
33
|
58
|
67
|
|
Virginia
|
8
|
3
|
11
|
7
|
14
|
17
|
|
Washington
|
25
|
unknown
|
unknown
|
67
|
75
|
Unknown
|
|
Wyoming
|
25
|
33
|
50
|
50
|
63
|
75
|
* Because state post-conviction data are incomplete, the figures in these
columns are in most cases lower than the actual figure. See infra Appendix
C, pp. C-1 to C-2.
Sources: DADB, DRCen, Appendix C, HCDB
