Legal Lynching Racism, Injustice & the Death Penalty

Jackson, Rev. Jesse

ISBN 10: 1569247064 / ISBN 13: 9781569247068

Published by New York: Marlowe & Company, 1996, 1996

About this Item

Soft Cover. As New. First Marlowe & Company Edition. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. ISBN:1-56924-706-4. 224 pages with index.

Seller Inventory # 002381

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Legal Lynching Racism, Injustice & the Death Penalty
• Publisher: New York: Marlowe & Company, 1996
• Publication Date: 1996
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1569247064
• ISBN 13: 9781569247068
• Binding: Soft cover
• Printing: 1st Printing
• Seller catalogs:
  • Americana

About this title

Synopsis

Legal Lynching is an impassioned rebuttal to advocates of the death penalty: legal executions are unjustly administered, are morally indefensible and fail to deter crime. A comprehensive rejection of the knee-jerk solution to the rise in violent crime, Legal Lynching comprises a history of state-sponsored execution, a consideration of the statistical evidence, an examination of scriptural justification for the taking of a life, and, most chilling, the true-life stories of those condemned to die who were later found to be innocent.
With eloquent determination, Jackson examines the recent history of the death penalty. He reflects on high-profile cases, such as that of Mumia Abu-Jamal; assesses the state of the opposition movement; and reveals irrefutable discrepancies in the implementation of the death penalty based on race, class, sex, and geography. By giving lie to the notion that justice is administered blindly and fairly in the life-and-death cases, Jackson's exposition is an inspiring call to action.

Review

Few leaders in American public life can speak with the moral authority of Jesse Jackson. Regardless of what you think of his politics or rhetorical style, Jackson can take debate to places where most public leaders dare not tread. In Legal Lynching, Jackson bravely takes aim at capital punishment. The argument he makes is not all bluster and bravado or simple preaching to the choir. Jackson recites the specifics of cases in which innocent men were sentenced to death--and even executed. He does not deny the popularity of the punishment, rather the purpose of his argument is to make it less popular. The racial injustice of sentencing and the application of capital punishment come in for particular attention, as Jackson sketches the moral case for reforming the American criminal justice system to conform with what he sees as morally sound notions of justice and human rights.