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Capital punishment in Puerto Rico

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Capital punishment in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States, is abolished. However, a number of people were executed in the territory before abolition. A person who commits a federal crime in Puerto Rico can receive the death penalty.

History

From the 16th century until 1898, Puerto Rico was a part of the Spanish Empire. The number of people executed in Puerto Rico by the Spanish authorities is: 289 in the 16th Century, 70 in 17th Century, 44 in the 18th Century and 144 in 19th Century.[1]

In result of the Spanish–American War, Puerto Rico became U.S. territory. 27 people were executed under American administration during the 20th century. The authorized method of execution was hanging, although in 1900, the American military authorities executed at least five convicted murderers using the garrotte method that was a legacy of Spanish rule.[2]

Two men, Arocho y Clemente (Carlos Arocho Guzmán and Jacinto Clemente Echevarría) were sentenced for the rape and murder of a 13-year-old girl. At the time, it was one of the worst crimes in the annals of Puerto Rico crime history. The death penalty sentence on Arocho was appealed and made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court, only to be upheld.[3] They were both hanged on June 27, 1927.[4][5]

The last person executed in Puerto Rico was Pascual Ramos, hanged for murder in 1927. Two years later, in 1929, the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico abolished the death penalty.[6][7] The Puerto Rico's constitution expressly states that "The death penalty shall not exist."[8]

Despite these provisions, the death penalty can and has been sought for federal crimes committed in Puerto Rico. This has been done under the federal government jurisdiction, for people tried and convicted in federal court.[9][10][11]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Puerto Rico and the Death Penalty | Death Penalty Information Center". Deathpenaltyinfo.org. Retrieved 2016-07-22.
  2. ^ S. Doc. 360, 56th Cong., 1st sess., p. 3.
  3. ^ Puerto Rico. Dept. of Justice (1923). Annual report of the Attorney General. p. 10.
  4. ^ "Mueren en la horca Clemente y Arocho". El Editor (in Spanish). April 18, 2017. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
  5. ^ Tesauro de datos historicos: indice compendioso de la literatura histórica de Puerto Rico, incluyendo algunos datos inéditos, periodísticos y cartográficos. Impr. del Gobierno de Puerto Rico. 1949. pp. 266–.
  6. ^ "Home- Initiative gegen die Todesstrafe e.V". Initiative-gegen-die-todesstrafe.de. 2016-07-03. Retrieved 2016-07-22.
  7. ^ "Feingold Statements on the Death Penalty | Death Penalty Information Center". Deathpenaltyinfo.org. Retrieved 2016-07-22.
  8. ^ "Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico - Wikisource, the free online library". En.wikisource.org. Retrieved 2016-07-22.
  9. ^ "Puerto Rico and the Death Penalty | Death Penalty Information Center". Deathpenaltyinfo.org. Retrieved 2016-07-22.
  10. ^ "Lawguides: International Human Rights Clinic: Death Penalty in Puerto Rico". Lawguides at Santa Clara University School of Law. August 22, 2012. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
  11. ^ "Puerto Ricans Angry That U.S. Overrode Death Penalty Ban". The New York Times. July 17, 2003. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
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