title: Commentary: Pursuing justice in death penalty trials.
abstract: The capital trial, by its nature, is fraught with emotionally disturbing elements that jurors must face when deciding the ultimate fate of a guilty defendant. A confluence of mitigating and aggravating factors influences a capital jury's decision to impose a sentence of death. The presence or absence of defendant remorse in these cases may make all the difference in whether a capital defendant's life is spared. This commentary examines the onerous emotional toll encountered by capital jurors in light of the findings of Corwin and colleagues regarding defendant remorse and juror's need for affect. The commentary also presents practical and ethics-related considerations that should be kept in mind when reflecting on their study.
authors.affiliation: Delaware Psychiatric Center, USA. cwatson@watsonforensics.com
authors.forename: Clarence
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.forename: Spencer
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eth
authors.forename: Gregory B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Leong
mesh_terms: D000339:Affect; D001364:Awareness; D002203:Capital Punishment / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D003416:Criminal Law / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D004645:Empathy; D005104:Expert Testimony / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D005260:Female; D006167:Guilt; D006708:Homicide / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011329:Prisoners / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000523:psychology*