Is There a Rush to the Death Penalty in the Caribbean: The Bahamas Says No
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IS THERE A RUSH TO THE DEATH PENALTY IN THE
CARIBBEAN: THE BAHAMAS SAYS NO
Leonard E. Birdsong*
I. INTRODUCTION
This survey of current developments will explore the debate between
human rights groups and government proponents in English-speaking Car-
ibbean [ESC] nations1 over the use of the death penalty. It will focus on Ja-
maica, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Bahamas. A review of the debate in
the ESC may encourage reflection on whether there should be time limita-
tions placed on the imposition of the use of the death penalty in the United
States and other nations that retain the penalty.
Amnesty International and other human rights groups report that over
half the countries in the world have now abolished the death penalty in law
or in practice.2 Specifically, Amnesty International reports that as of April
1998, sixty-three countries and territories have abolished the death penalty
for all crimes, while ninety-one other countries, a number of which are in the
ESC, retain and use the death penalty.' A number of human rights groups
have decried what they believe to be a resurgence of the use of the death
Leonard E. Birdsong is Assistant Professor of Law at Barry University of Orlando
School of Law. Professor Birdsong received his J. D. degree from Harvard Law School
and received his B.A. degree (Cum Laude) from Howard University. He also lived in the
Caribbean. During 1988-89, he served as American Consul for Visa Affairs at the Ameri-
can Embassy in Nassau, Bahamas. Earlier in his career, 1984-85, he served as a Special As-
sistant United States Attorney to the U.S. Virgin Islands. Special thanks are extended to
Warren M. McEwen, Jr. and Alan Diefenbach of the Barry University of Orlando School
of Law library for their research assistance. Thanks are also extended to Kathleen Lang,
Desk Officer for the Bahamas and Jamaica, U. S. Department of State, Washington, D.C.
who also provided research assistance for this article. Finally, Professor Birdsong wishes to
thank Professor Stephen Leacock, Visiting Professor from DePaul University College of
Law for his encouragement, guidance, and insight leading to the publication of this article.
1. The countries that comprise the English - speaking Caribbean are: Jamaica, Trini-
dad and Tobago, Guyana, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada,
St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados, Dominica, Bahamas, and Suriname.
2. See Amnesty International Report, Death Penalty. Facts and Figures on the Death
Penalty, Apr. 1998.
3. See id.](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.journals/tclj13&div=17&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)
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Is There a Rush to the Death Penalty in the Caribbean: The Bahamas Says No
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