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The death penalty is the ultimate penalty for committing a crime. The United States has a long history of using the death penalty, including the execution of 38 Dakota men in 1862, but the Supreme Court recently heard oral arguments challenging the constitutionality of using lethal injection to execute people. Tribes cannot execute offenders but they can work with the federal government to allow capital punishment for crimes committed on reservation. Does your tribe have a history of using the death penalty? Where do you stand on the death penalty? Do you think the death penalty is a just punishment for heinous crimes? Or is it cruel and unusual punishment?

Guests:

Catherine Grosso – Associate professor of  Law at Michigan State University College of Law

Tamera Begay (Navajo) – Third year law student at Michigan State University College of Law

 

Break Music:  Dance of the Coyote (song) Tony Duncan (artist) Earth Warrior (album)