History & Society
capital punishment
law
Also known as: death penalty, execution
capital punishment
Recent News
Mar. 22, 2024, 7:48 AM ET (AP)
Former executive given death sentence in poisoning of founder of high-flying Chinese gaming company
Mar. 21, 2024, 9:28 AM ET (AP)
Man put to death for 1993 killing of ex-girlfriend, Georgia’s first execution in years
capital punishment, execution of an offender sentenced to death after conviction by a court of law of a criminal offense. Capital punishment should be distinguished from extrajudicial executions carried out without due process of law. The term death penalty is sometimes used interchangeably with capital punishment, though imposition of the penalty is not always followed by execution (even when it is upheld on appeal), because of the possibility of commutation to life imprisonment. Capital punishment for murder, treason, arson, and rape was widely employed in ancient Greece under the laws of Draco (fl. 7th century bce), though Plato argued that ...(100 of 2803 words)