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April 5, 2001
NOTE: In response to current debate on the death penalty, we are providing these IU faculty who have relevant insights. Sources may be contacted directly. If you need further assistance, contact Richard Doty or Kevin Gray at 812-855-3911 or by e-mail at rgdoty@indiana.edu or keagray@indiana.edu
The role of the news media in executions goes back several centuries, according to Betsi Grabe, an IU assistant professor of journalism whose research interests include media content and effects.
"Before the existence of mass media, societies relied on public rituals like torture and execution to demonstrate justice," Grabe said. "In fact, historians link the disappearance of public execution with the development of the newspaper."
Crime stories play an important role in instructing citizens about a community's moral integrity, she added. "Because of this, one could expect that coverage of the execution of Timothy McVeigh would be brimming with moral lessons. In this sense, crime news assists in establishing boundaries for those who contemplate violating accepted values and norms, much like the public spectacles of past centuries. This viewpoint stands in sharp contrast to the strident criticism of the mass media for debasing morals and good taste when they feature crime stories."
Grabe can be reached at 812-855-1721 or mgrabe@indiana.edu
The grief of a victim's family doesn't end with execution of the criminal in capital punishment cases, according to Kathleen Gilbert, IU associate professor of applied health science and an expert on loss and bereavement.
"Many individuals who are related to the victim are surprised and disheartened to realize their pain is not resolved when the person responsible for the crime is executed," Gilbert said. "The families of the victims want to achieve closure, but for many people the loss is so great that the grief never ends."
In a situation like Oklahoma City, where there are multiple victims, the families can feel somewhat nurtured in knowing their grief is shared by others, she noted. "For some people, this can be a tremendous help in coping with a tragic situation, but this can be compromised if there is a perception of special treatment," she said. For example, the mother of a child who was photographed cradled in a firefighter's arms reportedly suffered some additional anguish because other parents who lost children in the explosion thought she received special treatment when the photograph became famous.
Some relatives of victims also can feel compromised by the tragedy. "When private people are thrust into the spotlight, they may feel a sense of support but then be left emotionally battered by feelings of abandonment that follow," she said.
Gilbert has studied and taught classes on grief and bereavement for more than 15 years and has authored textbooks and numerous professional articles on the subject.
She can be reached at 812-855-5209 or gilbertk@indiana.edu
Henry C. Karlson has argued in favor of the death penalty in numerous public debates.
Karlson, a professor in the IU School of Law-Indianapolis, served as an expert witness in several cases involving lawyer competency for death penalty defendants, including one case in which the death penalty was overturned. He teaches criminal law, criminal procedure, trial advocacy and evidence.
Karlson can be reached at 317-274-2298 or hkarlson@iupui.edu
Americans' support for the death penalty has waned over the last 10 years, according to Gallup polls. A poll taken in 1991 found that 76 percent of respondents supported the death penalty, while a February 2001 poll indicated that only about 67 percent of respondents favored capital punishment.
Marla Sandys, IU associate professor of criminal justice, believes that the high-profile execution of convicted Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh will not have a long-term effect on support of the death penalty.
"I could see an immediate spike in support around the time of his execution, but if media attention is then devoted to another innocent person being released from death row, that will likely lead to less support," Sandys said.
"McVeigh's crime is obviously an extreme -- those committed by others on death row don't compare. So I could see people questioning why other death row inmates' sentences should be the same as McVeigh's," she said.
In addition to studying public opinion about the death penalty, she has looked extensively at how jurors decide whether to vote for the death penalty or life imprisonment.
Sandys can be contacted at her office at 812-855-5892, at home at 812-935-6631, or by e-mail at msandys@indiana.edu
The death penalty debate among Christians rarely centers on the fact that Jesus was executed through state-sponsored capital punishment, according to Ann Mongoven, IU assistant professor of religious studies.
Mongoven said many within Christianity don't support capital punishment because they believe that the primary motive for it is vengeance, and vengeance is not a legitimate motive in Christianity. Christian defenders of capital punishment believe that the primary motive is protection of others.
"Christians against the death penalty cite Jesus' death in arguing that there is always the possibility that a mistake can be made. Supporters say that while Jesus was unjustly condemned, Timothy McVeigh was justly condemned and should be put to death," she said.
Mongoven can be reached at 812-855-6669 or amongove@indiana.edu