Capital reading to mark a “grand” milestone

As detailed in this news report, North Carolina carried out the 1000th execution of the modern US death penalty era and execution 1001 is scheduled for this evening in South Carolina.  One way to reflect on this milestone is to keep up with some of the latest academic literature on the death penalty, such as:

• On Andy Warhol’s Electric Chair from I Bennett Capers II

• No, Capital Punishment is Not Morally Required: Deterrence, Deontology, and the Death Penalty from Carol S. Steiker

• Confronting Death: Sixth Amendment Rights at Capital Sentencing from John G. Douglass

UPDATE:  Interestingly, as detailed in this AP report, the White House decided to mark the grand milestone with a statement that President Bush strongly supports the death penalty in the belief that “ultimately it helps save innocent lives.”