Changes

Capital punishment in the United States is handled on a state-by-state basis, and several states' laws do not allow for executions.  

Capital punishment in the United States is handled on a state-by-state basis, and several states' laws do not allow for executions.  

[[Pennsylvania]] has hundreds of people on death row, though only three inmates have been executed since the reinstatement of capital punishment laws. In [[Texas]] One man has been on death row for 31 years.<ref>http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-deathrow28jan28,1,1271967.story?coll=la-headlines-nation</ref>

[[Pennsylvania]] has hundreds of people on death row, though only three inmates have been executed since the reinstatement of capital punishment laws, and all three "volunteered" by dropping their appeals. In [[Texas]], one man has been on death row for 31 years.<ref>http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-deathrow28jan28,1,1271967.story?coll=la-headlines-nation</ref>

Appeals and stays of execution can create a backlog on death row's in many states.

Appeals and stays of execution can create a backlog on death row's in many states.