Eligible for Execution

The Story of the Daryl Atkins Case

Nonfiction, Reference & Language, Law, International, Social & Cultural Studies, Political Science, Government
Cover of the book Eligible for Execution by Thomas G. Walker, SAGE Publications
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Thomas G. Walker ISBN: 9781483304533
Publisher: SAGE Publications Publication: July 15, 2008
Imprint: CQ Press Language: English
Author: Thomas G. Walker
ISBN: 9781483304533
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Publication: July 15, 2008
Imprint: CQ Press
Language: English

This riveting and enlightening narrative unfolds on the night of August 16, 1996, with the brutal and senseless murder of Eric Nesbitt, a young man stationed at Langley Air Force Base, at the hands of 18-year-old Daryl Atkins. Over the course of more than a decade, Atkins’s case has bounced between the lowest and the highest levels of the judicial system. Found guilty and then sentenced to death in 1998 for Nesbitt’s murder, the Atkins case was then taken up in 2002 by the U.S. Supreme Court. The issue before the justices: given Daryl Atkins’s mental retardation, would his execution constitute cruel and unusual punishment, in violation of the Eighth Amendment? A 6–3 vote said yes.

Daryl Atkins’s situation was far from being resolved though. Prosecutors claimed that Atkins failed to meet the statutory definition of mental retardation and reinstituted procedures to carry out his death sentence. Back in circuit court, the jury returned its verdict: Daryl Atkins was not retarded. Atkins’s attorneys promptly filed a notice of appeal, and the case continues today.

Drawing on interviews with key participants; direct observation of the hearings; and close examination of court documents, transcripts, and press accounts, Thomas G. Walker provides readers with a rare view of the entire judicial process. Never losing sight of the stakes in a death penalty case, he explains each step in Atkins’s legal journey from the interactions of local law enforcement, to the decision-making process of the state prosecutor, to the Supreme Court’s ruling, and beyond. Walker sheds light on how legal institutions and procedures work in real life—and how they are all interrelated—to help students better understand constitutional issues, the courts, and the criminal justice system. Throughout, Walker also addresses how disability, race, and other key demographic and social issues affect the case and society’s views on the death penalty.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

This riveting and enlightening narrative unfolds on the night of August 16, 1996, with the brutal and senseless murder of Eric Nesbitt, a young man stationed at Langley Air Force Base, at the hands of 18-year-old Daryl Atkins. Over the course of more than a decade, Atkins’s case has bounced between the lowest and the highest levels of the judicial system. Found guilty and then sentenced to death in 1998 for Nesbitt’s murder, the Atkins case was then taken up in 2002 by the U.S. Supreme Court. The issue before the justices: given Daryl Atkins’s mental retardation, would his execution constitute cruel and unusual punishment, in violation of the Eighth Amendment? A 6–3 vote said yes.

Daryl Atkins’s situation was far from being resolved though. Prosecutors claimed that Atkins failed to meet the statutory definition of mental retardation and reinstituted procedures to carry out his death sentence. Back in circuit court, the jury returned its verdict: Daryl Atkins was not retarded. Atkins’s attorneys promptly filed a notice of appeal, and the case continues today.

Drawing on interviews with key participants; direct observation of the hearings; and close examination of court documents, transcripts, and press accounts, Thomas G. Walker provides readers with a rare view of the entire judicial process. Never losing sight of the stakes in a death penalty case, he explains each step in Atkins’s legal journey from the interactions of local law enforcement, to the decision-making process of the state prosecutor, to the Supreme Court’s ruling, and beyond. Walker sheds light on how legal institutions and procedures work in real life—and how they are all interrelated—to help students better understand constitutional issues, the courts, and the criminal justice system. Throughout, Walker also addresses how disability, race, and other key demographic and social issues affect the case and society’s views on the death penalty.

More books from SAGE Publications

Cover of the book Nonprofit Marketing by Thomas G. Walker
Cover of the book Effective Management in Practice by Thomas G. Walker
Cover of the book E-Learning by Thomas G. Walker
Cover of the book Primary ICT Across the Curriculum by Thomas G. Walker
Cover of the book What Else You Can Do With a PH.D. by Thomas G. Walker
Cover of the book Leadership, Management and Team Working in Nursing by Thomas G. Walker
Cover of the book Developing Successful K-8 Schools by Thomas G. Walker
Cover of the book Civil Wars in South Asia by Thomas G. Walker
Cover of the book Old China's New Economy by Thomas G. Walker
Cover of the book Reach the Highest Standard in Professional Learning: Outcomes by Thomas G. Walker
Cover of the book Understanding Careers by Thomas G. Walker
Cover of the book Right to Work and Rural India by Thomas G. Walker
Cover of the book International Society, Global Polity by Thomas G. Walker
Cover of the book Online Professional Development by Thomas G. Walker
Cover of the book The Good Writing Guide for Education Students by Thomas G. Walker
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy