The death penalty in the United States: a complete guide to federal and state laws

Part I. General considerations. The common law and capital punishment ; The Eighth Amendment and Furman v. Georgia ; Double jeopardy and ex post facto ; Right to counsel and right to remain silent ; Capital felon's defense team

Part II. Initiating capital prosecutions. Charging discretion of a prosecutor ; Capital murder charging instruments ; Death penalty notice requirements ; Prosecuting a nontriggerman ; Foreign nationals and capital punishment

Part III. Court proceedings. Death-eligible offenses ; Determining guilt before penalty phase hearing ; Structure and nature of penalty phase ; Statutory aggravating circumstances ; Mitigating circumstances ; Penalty phase burden of proof

Part. IV Post-conviction proceedings. Automatic appellate review of death sentence ; Habeas corpus, coram nobis and section 1983 proceedings ; The Innocence Protection Act and post-conviction DNA testing ; Challenging death sentence under racial justice acts

Part V. Laws related to execution. Barriers to execution ; Death row ; Witnessing an execution ; Execution methods and corpse disposal

Part VI. Other capital punishment issues. Military death penalty laws ; Native Americans and capital punishment ; Inhabited American territories and capital punishment ; Opposition to capital punishment ; The costs of capital punishment.