Welcome to the re-launch of a this blogging adventure.  This blog started two years ago, with the uninspired title of Death Penalty Course @ Moritz College of Law, to facilitate student engagement in the Spring 2007 course on the death penalty that I taught at OSU's Moritz College of Law.  Though I formally closed this blog down not long after…

Though I seriously doubt we will get to these materials before next week, I wanted to post now the materials and ideas that Benjamin and Katherine have sent my way to facilitate our examination of race and the death penalty: ——— McCleskey v. Kemp has been called "the most far-reaching post-Gregg challenge to capital sentencing." …

In this post, I provided some ideas as you consider options for which official your white paper will address.  Now it is time to set out your (tentative) choice in the comments (though Larysa here has already got us off to a thoughtful start).  As before, you are welcome to explain the reasons for your…

All of OSU is closed today, so our schedule for student-led blogging and class discussion will have to be modified by moving everything back at least a day.  The execution method conversation (materials here and here) will thus begin with our class next Wednesday (2/21).  In that class, we will also talk about rescheduling the…

As indicated here, this week everyone is to (tentatively) select an official for their white paper.  In a subsequent post, I will ask for tentative choices to be reported in the comments.  This post provides some "food for thought" as you consider options. 1.  The kind of advice you want to give should impact your…

One student has indicated that her white paper will focus on Arizona, and perhaps others are still ruminating about their jurisdiction.  Consequently, I was very pleased to get this kind e-mail from a new friend in Arizona (who authorized this posting): Professor:  My name is Jim Belanger.  I am a partner and the Director of…

In this post, I provided some ideas as you consider options for what jurisdiction will be the focal point for your white paper.  Now it is time to set out your (tentative) choice in the comments.  You are welcome to explain the reasons for your choice, but it is sufficient if you just state your…

As indicated here, this week everyone is to (tentatively) select a jurisdiction for the white paper.  In a subsequent post, I will ask for tentative choices to be reported in the comments.  This post provides some "food for thought" as you consider options. 1.  The kind of advice you want to give should impact your…

I have prepared a document with the basic parameters of the blog and "white paper" requirements in this class.  The document can be downloaded here: Download dp_blog_and_white_paper_basics.rtf As the document notes, all of these ground rules are tentative.  I welcome feedback and suggested improvements here in the comments or in class (where I will go…

As I mention in the course description, I have decided to try a novel approach to the "final" in this class. Because the law, policy and politics of the death penalty is quite fluid (especially right now), I do not want to develop a final exam that forces students to focus narrowly n current (and…