What jury sentencing looks like

Though some opinions have suggested that jury sentencing is impossible or simply unfathomable, everyone should to remember that we rely on — and often even take some pride in — jury sentencing in the administration of the death penalty. And, airing on ABC tonight and tomorrow, the documentary “In the Jury Room” will make history by presenting the actual deliberations of an actual jury in a death penalty case from Ohio. Background about the show can be found in this Newsweek article.

Though the propriety and impact of filming jury deliberations is worthy of debate (somewhere else), readers of this site might consider whether what we see in this show should make us more eager or less eager to create a world with greater jury involvement in sentencing.