美国死刑量刑程序的历史考察

A Historical Review on American Sentencing Procedure for the Death Penalty

美国死刑量刑程序经历了一个正当化的历史过程,早期的陪审团废法现象催生了死刑陪审团制度,死刑陪审团制度的建立又引发了死刑案件审判的两分式改革并使死刑量刑程序得以独立,特殊的"凌驾陪审团"规则体现出美国司法界力图保持死刑裁量中职业法官与平民陪审团间的权力制衡。

American sentencing procedure for death penalty went through a historical due process, in which the phenomenon of jury nullification in early stage brought about capital jury system, resulting in the capital trial bifurcation reform and the independence of sentencing procedure for death penalty. The special rule of ＂jury over- ride＂ reflects that the American judiciary seeks to keep a balance of power between judges and juries in capital discretion.