02-28-2015, 07:31 PM
The statistics in this story are fascinating to me:
If they choose death, Arias would become only the third woman in Arizona on death row. Currently there are 117 men awaiting their death sentences.
So does gender play a role in the courtroom?
Since 1976, more than 1,400 people have been executed in the United States--only 15 were women.
"We don't see women in trial facing death very often," said Beth Karas, a former prosecutor in New York City. "Unlike other women who have faced death, Jodi Arias doesn't have a child to come into court begging for mercy - don't take my mother away."
Even if you take away the courtroom drama, Richard Dieter, the executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center says people would still be interested in Arias.
"I think people are curious about a woman who commits a violent crime because it's out of the ordinary," Dieter said. He says the numbers can back it up.
"The numbers are women are committing about 10 percent of the murders but are two percent of death row and are only one percent of those who are executed."
http://www.abc15.com/news/region-phoenix-metro/central-phoenix/does-gender-play-a-role-in-the-courtroom-arias-could-become-one-of-few-women-on-death-row
If they choose death, Arias would become only the third woman in Arizona on death row. Currently there are 117 men awaiting their death sentences.
So does gender play a role in the courtroom?
Since 1976, more than 1,400 people have been executed in the United States--only 15 were women.
"We don't see women in trial facing death very often," said Beth Karas, a former prosecutor in New York City. "Unlike other women who have faced death, Jodi Arias doesn't have a child to come into court begging for mercy - don't take my mother away."
Even if you take away the courtroom drama, Richard Dieter, the executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center says people would still be interested in Arias.
"I think people are curious about a woman who commits a violent crime because it's out of the ordinary," Dieter said. He says the numbers can back it up.
"The numbers are women are committing about 10 percent of the murders but are two percent of death row and are only one percent of those who are executed."
http://www.abc15.com/news/region-phoenix-metro/central-phoenix/does-gender-play-a-role-in-the-courtroom-arias-could-become-one-of-few-women-on-death-row