Since 1988, the federal government has authorized seeking...

Since 1988, the federal government has authorized seeking the death penalty against 211 defendants. Of the 211 approved prosecutions, 158 (75%) were against minority defendants. Of these defendants, 53 have been white, 39 Hispanic, 12 Asian/Indian/Pacific Islander, 2 Arab and 105 African American. Of the twenty inmates currently on federal death row, 17 (85%) are members of a minority group. For a summary of the cases authorized for the federal death penalty, seehttp://www.capdefnet.org/default.htm