Vanderbilt Television News Archive

(Studio) Supreme Court upholds death penalty laws in 3 states; strikes them down in 2 others. 600 on death row.
REPORTER: Harry Reasoner

(DC) Laws upheld in Georgia, Texas and Florida; North Carolina and Louisiana laws overturned. Justices Potter Stewart, Lewis Powell and John Paul Stevens deliver major opinion. LA and North Carolina criticized for having mandatory death sentence for certain crimes, disregarding details. Georgia, Texas and Florida have murder trials in 2 stages. Court says death penalty doesn't violate Const. Court says penalty is society's moral outrage at particular crimes.
REPORTER: David Garcia Artist: Freda Reiter

(Raiford, Florida) 72 men are on death row at Raiford Prison. [Death Row Inmate Charles PROFFITT- says he expected court's decision.] [Death row inmate George VASIL, 17 - says he is scared.] Florida hasn't executed anyone in 12 years [Florida attorney general Robert SHEVIN - says death penalty will be exercised.]
REPORTER: Charles Murphy

(Studio) In Texas, 42 death row inmates are in midst of appeal process. 29 face death in Georgia; Georgia attorney general to announce future action Tuesday
REPORTER: Harry Reasoner

(Raleigh, North Carolina) 109 men and 2 women are on death row in North Carolina. Supreme Court throws out North Carolina's law of mandatory death sentence for 1st degree murder and rape. [Special deputy assistant attorney general Sidney EAGLE - (audio-video difficulty occurs.)]
REPORTER: Roger Peterson

(Studio) Report from Chicago (sic) announced.
REPORTER: Harry Reasoner

(LA) 38 on death row at Louisiana State Penitentiary. [INMATE - comments on court decision.] [2nd INMATE - says he'd rather be executed than spend rest of life in jail.] 38 won't be executed; most will be in prison for life.
REPORTER: Tim O'Brien