The Death Penalty remains a touchy subject. Many support its usage, while others call it cruel and unusual punishment.
            Louisiana allows the death penalty to be carried out for homicide and treason. Child rape was also considered a capital crime until the 2008 Supreme Court case, Kennedy v. Louisiana.
            “Five members of the Court said if you execute someone who has raped a child, you violate the Eighth Amendment because you have not taken a life and the Eighth Amendment has incorporated a principle of proportionality,” said LSU Law Professor Paul Baier.
Controversy over the use of the death penalty continues to spark up. This year a Missouri man was executed only four minutes before his appeal was denied. Had the appeal been approved before the sentence was carried out, this event may have sparked a massive outcry.
            Support and usage of capital punishment has been steadily declining since the year 2000. Twelve states no longer its usage, and six of those states did so within the last 15 years.
            Support for the death penalty remains strong, but is projected to continue to decrease in the coming years.
            A Gallup poll from last October reported that 60% of Americans are in favor of the death penalty. While still a majority of the people, support is the lowest it has been in more than 40 years.