Capital Case


Definition of Capital Case

A capital case is a case where a defendant is charged with murder and the jury must decide if the death penalty should be used if the defendant is found guilty. In capital cases, the defendant must be found to have committed the murder under special circumstances in order to receive the death penalty. Examples of such circumstances include the use of a bomb, a particularly atrocious murder, and/or multiple murders.



Capital Case Explained

Capital cases are essentially murder prosecutions where capital punishment can be used if the defendant is found guilty. These cases involve some of the most severe crimes that the legal system deals with. Each state has its own requirements for what constitutes the special circumstances that must be proven true for capital punishment. If the defendant is found guilty, then they could face a death sentence. The death sentence could be carried out by a lethal injection, the electric chair, or several other methods.

There are currently 31 states that use capital punishment and 19 that do not. In states where the death penalty is not used, convicted criminals are sentenced to life in prison.





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