The Ethical Issues of Capital Punishment

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

October 2, 2007

The continued practice of capital punishment raises a plethora of ethical issues. Drawing from the university and town communities, a panel comprised of faculty, students and community members will represent a diversity of perspectives on capital punishment. The panel will explore positions in favor of the current practice of capital punishment, in favor of its reform, and in favor of its abolition. The issues surrounding capital punishment’s justifiability, its value as a deterrent, and the value of retribution (“an eye for an eye”) will be discussed.

Our panelists will also consider questions surrounding the current state of the American capital punishment system, including racial and socioeconomic biases, the risk of executing innocent people, and the economic costs incurred by capital punishment.

The resulting dialogue will promote a deeper understanding of the ethical issues surrounding capital punishment and encourage rigorous discussion of its use in the state system and the country.

This event is coordinated in conjuction with UNC’s first year student summer reading book selection, "The Death of Innocents: An Eyewitness Account of Wrongful Executions," by Sister Helen Prejean. For a  further listing of capital punishment related events  across campus this year, please visit: www.carolinacreativecampus.org.

The Parr Center for Ethics, Philosophy Club, Campaign to End the Death Penalty and UNC Law School Death Penalty Project will sponsor a two-hour Public Discussion on the ethics of capital punishment.

Location: Carroll Hall Auditorium, Room 111, 7:30 pm.

Opening Presentations:

Ryan Presley, an undergraduate student at UNC-Chapel Hill and member of the UNC Chapter of Campaign to End the Death Penalty

Caroline Elliot, a graduate student in the UNC School of Law and member of UNC Law Death Penalty Project

Panelists are:

Carl Fox, North Carolina Senior Resident Superior Court Judge

Mark Kleinschmidt, Executive Director – The Fair Trial Initiative, Chapel Hill Town Council Member

Tony Queen, Executive Director - NC Victim Assistance Network

Richard Rosen, Professor of Law at UNC School of Law

Randall Styers, Associate Professor of Religion at UNC Chapel Hill

Kristen Bell, a graduate student in Philosophy

Moderator:

Joe Kennedy, Professor of Law at UNC School of Law