Why do people wait so long on death row?

Question

I know executions doesn't happen much in US anymore, but Im just wondering why did they keep people on the death row for such a long time? They actually do schedule the date, but for another year or even more... it's bizarre.

Answer 1

It is the appeals process,the laws say that the issue is that they are entitled to appeals and they take a long time.

Answer 2

Well thanks to the good folks at the ACLU and "Persons" like Jesse Jackson and Al Scharpton we Warehouse Criminals and exhaust the Judicial System with Appeal after Appeal after APPEAL...because LORD knows those Murderers HAVE THEIR RIGHTS!!!! PLEEEEZ Don't GET Me STARTED!!!

Answer 3

Good question. I wish I knew.  

Answer 4

It is the appeals process many of which are automatic for death row inmates.

Answer 5

Because they are entitled to something their victims were denied - many, many, many appeals.  

Answer 6

Mostly because of appeals.  

Answer 7

lawyer stuff

and since DNA have been discovered by science and used in old crime case, it appears lot of executed were innocents

So i think that didnt help  for fast executions.They now prefer let lawyer do their work well before execute someone

Answer 8

You are wrong about executions not happening often anymore. They happen too often in Texas. When someone is sentenced to die that person has a lot of appeals available to him and it's a good thing he does. In Texas alone there have been dozens of people released from prison after they were proven beyond the shadow of a doubt to be wrongfully convicted! When you execute a person and find out later that person was innocent what do you do? Say oops?  Think about how you would feel if one of your loved ones was wrongfully convicted and the executioners told YOU "oops". Until we humans get to be as good as God in not making mistakes, I think we should quit trying to play God. Life in prison without the chance of parole is a worse punishment in my mind and it's actually cheaper than paying for all of those lawyers and appeals. Sorry for the rant but, I feel strongly about the subject. Back to your question: The main reason for the delay, sometimes up to 10 years or more, is the slow moving court system and the many appeals.  

Answer 9

torture

Answer 10

I think the reason really stems from the fact that in so many cases, people have been given the death penalty, and then proven innocent later on. In a case like this, you can't just up and say, 'whoops', because a person's life has been taken. Science and forensics are constantly improving, and so it is easier to find people guilty, and also to stop an innocent person from taking their last breaths.  

Answer 11

Actually executions do still happen in the United States, just not very often.  The state that most often carries out executions?  Texas.  The state with the most prisoners on death row?  California.  

The reason prisoners are on death row so long is that they are exhausting all of their possible appeals and requests for clemency and whatever other legal avenue they have.  And the appeals process takes a long time - often many years.

In many states the first appeal is automatic.  That is why they schedule the executions so far out.  

If you were on death row, would you rather die quickly or be in prison, alive, for a long time???

Answer 12

Because of too many lawyers/appeals

Peace

Answer 13

b/c once you are convicted and put on death row there are auto matic appeals and they take forever to come up on the courts calendar