U.S. Prepares For Orgy Of Executions (Press, 4 August 1982)

Frank Coppola, a former policeman who killed a woman during a robbery in 1978, is scheduled for execution by electric chair on 10 August 1982 in Richmond, Virginia. This marks the fifth execution in the United States since the moratorium on capital punishment that began in 1967. Coppola has chosen to forgo his legal representation, a decision that reflects his desire to avoid lengthy confinement on Death Row, where inmates are often limited to minimal exercise and interaction outside their cells. Friends suggest that he wishes to protect his children from public scrutiny arising from his ongoing incarceration. While Coppola appears resolved to accept his fate quietly, death penalty abolitionists are mobilising efforts to halt his execution. Their concerns extend beyond Coppola, as they fear the impact that his execution may have on the remaining 1,060 inmates on Death Row. They caution that a trend of rising executions may soon emerge, drawing comparisons to the frequency of executions during the Great Depression, as indicated by a senior official in the Department of Justice, who suggested that executions could soon occur at a rate nearing three per week. This anticipated surge in capital punishment occurs against a backdrop of increasing public fear over crime, which has risen to become a predominant concern among voters. Despite stabilising crime rates in the US, many communities remain overwhelmed by high levels of violence, including an alarming murder rate of approximately 25,000 annually. President Ronald Reagan has positioned himself firmly in favour of stricter crime policies, advocating for increased funding to build new prisons, as many existing facilities are plagued by poor conditions and violence. Despite the high murder rate, only around 1,000 individuals are currently on death row due to a protracted legal battle against the death penalty, initiated after the Supreme Court reviewed death penalty statutes in 1972 and deemed many existing laws to be unconstitutional. Although numerous states have since revised their laws to comply with the ruling, the complex legal environment allows for delays in execution that can span a decade. Furthermore, critics highlighted disparities in death penalty sentencing; statistics indicate that individuals convicted of murdering white victims are more likely to receive death sentences compared to those who have murdered black victims. Abolitionists argue that these inconsistencies undermine the legitimacy of the death penalty as a just form of punishment. As public opinion remains divided on the effectiveness of capital punishment, the upcoming execution of Coppola will likely reignite debates on these critical issues.

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