United States
2026
- GOVERNMENT
- federal republic with a strong federal tradition
- CONSTITUTION
- September 17, 1787, in effect from March 4, 1789
- LEGAL SYSTEM
- federal court system based on English common law. Each state has its own legal system
- LEGISLATIVE SYSTEM
- bicameral, Congress (Senate and House of Representatives)
- JUDICIAL SYSTEM
- Supreme Court, U.S. Court of Appeals, U.S. District Courts; state and county courts
RELIGIONS
51.3% Protestants; 23.9% Catholics; 1.7% Mormons; 1.6% other Christians; 1.7% Jews; 0.7% Muslims; other unspecified or no religion
From the country
- JULY 27, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
US CONDEMNS IRANIAN EXECUTIONS, SAYS DUE PROCESS DENIED
The US State Department responded critically to 10 recent executions in Iran, saying the rights of defendants weren't safeguarded.
- JULY 20, 2005United StatesDEATH PENALTY
GUANTANAMO BAY. US ADVISER RULES OUT DEATH PENALTY
Air Force Brigadier-General Thomas Hemingway, the US military legal adviser overseeing the possible trials of up to 12 terror suspects at Guantanamo Bay, including Australian David Hicks, says no evidence from any of the cases warrant him seeking the deat
JULY 14, 2005United StatesDEATH PENALTYVERMONT, USA. JURY RECOMMENDS DEATH FOR MAN IN FIRST DEATH PENALTY CASE FOR 50 YEARS
Donald Fell, a man convicted of kidnapping a supermarket worker and fatally beating her as she prayed for her life, was sentenced to death by a federal jury in Vermont's first capital punishment case in almost a half century.
- JULY 12, 2005United StatesDEATH PENALTY
VIRGINIA, USA. HIGH COURT STAYS LOVITT EXECUTION
the US Supreme Court granted a last-minute stay of execution to Robin Lovitt, a man convicted of murder in Virginia, because much of the evidence was accidentally destroyed.
JUNE 20, 2005PennsylvaniaDEATH PENALTYUNITED STATES. SUPREME COURT TOSSES DEATH SENTENCE
the US Supreme Court ordered a new trial for Ronald Rompilla, a Pennsylvania man on death row for a 1988 murder, ruling that his lawyers had failed to properly represent him.
JUNE 6, 2005United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA. MURDERS DECLINE EVEN AS NUMBER OF EXECUTIONS DROP
preliminary data from the FBI's Uniform Crime Report for 2004 found that murders in the U. S. dropped last year by 3.6%. The number of executions also declined in 2004.
MAY 23, 2005MexicoDEATH PENALTYUSA. SUPREME COURT DISMISSES WORLD COURT DEATH ROW TEST CASE
the US Supreme Court dismissed an appeal by Jose Medellin, a Mexican man facing execution in Texas, in a closely watched test-case on whether World Court rulings on capital cases apply to US courts.
MAY 23, 2005United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA. SHACKLED DEFENDANT'S RIGHTS VIOLATED, COURT RULES
the US Supreme Court ruled the US Constitution generally forbids the use of shackles for a defendant at a sentencing hearing to determine whether the death penalty will be imposed.
- MAY 17, 2005IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA. AIMB DEMANDS CAPITAL PUNISHMENT FOR US SOLDIERS WHO INSULTED KORAN
the All India Minority Board (AIMB) asked the US President George W Bush to award capital punishment to those soldiers who had insulted the holy Koran and seek public apology for their ''shameful acts''.
- MAY 17, 2005United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
a UK judge ruled that British national Babar Ahmad could be extradited to the US
a UK judge ruled that British national Babar Ahmad could be extradited to the US to face charges of soliciting support for terrorism and trying to set up a terrorist training camp in Arizona.
APRIL 29, 2005United States Armed ForcesDEATH PENALTYUNITED STATES. AKBAR SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING COMRADES
a US military jury sentenced Army Sgt. Hasan Akbar to death for killing two officers in a grenade and rifle attack on his comrades in Kuwait two years ago
- APRIL 27, 2005United StatesDEATH PENALTY
many Americans are in favour of capital punishment,
many Americans are in favour of capital punishment,