A Life and Death Decision: A Jury Weighs the Death Penalty

by Scott E. Sundby

With a life in the balance, a jury convicts a man of murder and now has to decide whether he should be put to death. Twelve people now face a momentous choice.
Bringing drama to life, A Life and Death Decision gives unique insight into how a jury deliberates. We feel the passions, anger, and despair as the jurors grapple with legal, moral, and personal dilemmas. The jurors’ voices are compelling. From the idealist to the “holdout,” the individual stories—of how and why they voted for life or death—drive the narrative. The reader is right there siding with one or another juror in this riveting read.
From movies to novels to television, juries fascinate. Focusing on a single case, Sundby sheds light on broader issues, including the roles of race, class, and gender in the justice system. With death penalty cases consistently in the news, this is an important window on how real jurors deliberate about a pressing national issue.

Genres: Nonfiction, Law

240 pages, Hardcover

First published April 16, 2005

Reviews

[Matt Bender · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best and most accessible book on juror perception and deliberations I’ve ever read and a must read for criminal defense lawyers because the lessons (including on mitigation) are applicable to more than death penalty trials.

[Jenni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very edifying but not exactly jolly.

[Marisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Horribly redundant and generally poorly written. To say it needs editing is an understatement. Sad that an otherwise interesting topic could be such a slog. Would not recommend - there are way better books on juries and capital punishment.

[Leila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting. Felt like it got a bit repetitive at times and wish that the data shared in the conclusion had come at the onset of the book, but definitely a great look at what it means to serve on the jury in a capital punishment case.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frustrating, but extremely interesting. Reaffirmed my beliefs that 1) we should not have the death penalty in the US and 2) I could never serve on a capital jury.