Death Penalty in a Nutshell (Nutshell Series) [Paperback]

Victor Streib (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0314260242 | ISBN-13: 978-0314260246 | Publication Date: October 10, 2002

Covering both the substantive law and the procedural law of the death penalty, this title begins with the arguments for and against the death penalty and an explanation of its basic constitutional challenges and limitations. Major sections cover capital crimes and defenses, as well as trial level and post-trial procedural issues. Special topics such as race and gender bias and executing the innocent are included, as well as a section on international and foreign law issues. This Nutshell serves both as supplemental reading for students in death penalty courses and as a concise, narrative explanation of death penalty law.

Product Details

• Paperback: 307 pages
• Publisher: West Group (October 10, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0314260242
• ISBN-13: 978-0314260246
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 4.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,736,846 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Worthless, January 2, 2005

By 

Linus Van Pelt (Atlanta) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Death Penalty in a Nutshell (Nutshell Series) (Paperback)

Not only is this the worst Nutshell I've ever read, this is the worst publication of any kind that I've ever read. I was stunned to find, almost immediately, grammatical and even proofreading errors on nearly every page of this guide that would have been obvious to a 5th grader. This is not just another exaggeration from an obsessive-compulsive law student: there tons of "sentences" in this book that didn't even have VERBS. It's disgusting that a book with so many glaring errors was written by a law professor and published by a West subsidiary.

Besides the unforgiveable and outrageous grammatical and proofreading errors that managed to escape whatever "editing" this book may have ever had, this Nutshell does little to nothing to shed any light on American Capital Punishment law. Granted, the topic is overwhelmingly broad, as every state basically is left to set its own standards once the federal guarantees are met, but even so, this guide essentially told me nothing.

The author is unabashedly anti-death penalty, which is fine, but as a practioner of law, there is no excuse for his inability or unwillingess to present the law with at least a semblance of objectivity. There should be no room in this kind of study guide for shameless positioning of his platform and sarcastic and oversimplified jabs on pro-death penalty conservatives.

Incidentally, I'm a raging liberal categorically opposed to capital punishment, so you know this book's slant has got to be especially egregious.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I was dying to read this!, September 10, 2011

By 

Pastor Mike - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Death Penalty in a Nutshell (Nutshell Series) (Paperback)

I read this book right away when it arrived. Mr. Streib has done a great job covering the subject matter which is of course quite serious. I have gained a much better understanding of capital cases and, specifically, the two-stage trial process addressing both guilt and sentencing. Of particular interest is the history of the death penalty and the sweeping reform that has created modern practice rules, in place from 1970 to the present. Needless to say, DNA evidence has had a significant impact on cases which have run the appellate review process and new evidence becomes the focal point of a suit for post conviction relief. I believe that Mr. Streib's work should be required reading for any attorney who might find him or herself, unexpectedly, representing a capital defendant. As we know, inexperience is not necessarily grounds to be allowed to withdraw from a capital case. Finally, it is self-evident that, regardless of what the law and the courts may establish, that new evidence of innocence, no matter how late it may become available, should never be barred. As a people, we cannot and should not agree to execute the innocent because the deadlines have run out or the standard remedies have been exhausted. The last point, which Mr. Streib makes so well, is that a governor or president, during the clemency stage, the last hope for the innocent death row inmate, should not allow political pressures and considerations to influence his or her decision(s. Again, a great book! Thank you and God Bless. Pastor Michel (Mike) Benjamins, Jr.

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent survey of a thorny topic, August 21, 2006

By 

Jake LaForet "Jake LaForet" (Milford, PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Death Penalty in a Nutshell (Nutshell Series) (Paperback)

Victor Streib does a superb job of laying forth the complexities and subtleties of capital punishment in easy-to-understand terms. This book is a must have for any law student wading through a capital punishment course (I can personally attest to that), and I imagine a good resource for the veteran attorney who needs to re-soak the mental sponge with a fresh review on the subject.

Easy to read.
Comprehensive but accessible information.
Highly recommended!