The Death Penalty The Death Penalty in Popular Culturein Popular Culture

Kenneth Mentor J.D., Ph.D.Kenneth Mentor J.D., Ph.D.

Criminal Justice DepartmentCriminal Justice DepartmentNew Mexico State University New Mexico State University

Previous Research:Previous Research:

Austin SaratAustin Sarat

Movies as replacement for public Movies as replacement for public executionsexecutions

Key ThemesKey Themes

Clean - MechanicalClean - Mechanical

Error Free - EfficientError Free - Efficient

Murder is Dirty in ComparisonMurder is Dirty in Comparison

ObserversObservers

In Film, Death Penalty is CleanIn Film, Death Penalty is Clean

Mechanical Mechanical

Antiseptic Antiseptic

Scene from “Dead Man Walking”

Orderly Orderly

Respectful Respectful

Caring guide Caring guide

Morality play - Good vs. evil Morality play - Good vs. evil

Puts viewer in juror role Puts viewer in juror role

ERROR FREE ERROR FREE

Hollywood vs. reality Hollywood vs. reality

Goes wrong only through Goes wrong only through evil evil

Goes wrong only through Goes wrong only through evil evil

Media seldom discussed error Media seldom discussed error or shows real images or shows real images

too distasteful too distasteful

Murder is Dirty Murder is Dirty Death penalty is respectful and Death penalty is respectful and

clean, especially when compared to clean, especially when compared to heinous acts of the condemned heinous acts of the condemned

Clean murderers are especially Clean murderers are especially crazy crazy

HannibalHannibal American PsychoAmerican Psycho Ted BundyTed Bundy

OBSERVERS OBSERVERS

Movie depiction of viewers Movie depiction of viewers

Film viewers - voyeur Film viewers - voyeur

Televised executions Televised executions

Little real understanding of Little real understanding of process process

Move to lethal injection - Move to lethal injection - orderly and clean, just like the orderly and clean, just like the

movies movies