Is the Death Penalty Dying?

I certainly hope so. The results for the past year suggest it may be. Per this report, executions for 2008 dropped to a 14 year low and the lowest number of people were sentenced to death since 1976. I know in my state, two men were spared death by juries who found them both guilty of a capital murder. I don't recall a jury from that particular county ever before passing on the opportunity to sentence anyone to death. I count that as anecdotal evidence that supports the existence of the trend the report says is occurring nationwide.

I like the general trend and so I choose to go to work today feeling optimistic about the future of the death penalty. In case I haven't mentioned it before, I really, really hate the death penalty.