Studies of the use of capital punishment for the crime of rape reveal overt and pervasive discrimination against African Americans in the pre-Furman era.

Question

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Studies have shown that in the pre-Furman era (before the 1972 US Supreme Court decision that temporarily halted the use of the death penalty), African Americans were more likely to receive the death penalty for the crime of rape compared to white defendants, leading to a disproportionate application of capital punishment based on race.

Studies of the Use of Capital Punishment for the Crime