In honor of World Day Against the Death Penalty (October 10), Christopher Wright Durocher speaks with Professor John Bessler about why the death penalty should be considered an act of torture. They discuss how the death penalty is classified under international human rights law and how the U.S. Supreme Court consistently gets death penalty cases wrong by ignoring the psychological torture involved. 

Join the Progressive Legal Movement Today: ACSLaw.org

Today's Host: Christopher Wright Durocher, ACS Vice President of Policy and Program

Guest: John Bessler, Professor of Law, University of Baltimore School of Law

Link: "The Death Penalty's Denial of Fundamental Human Rights," by John Bessler

Link: "A Torturous Practice," by John Bessler

Link: "Taking Psychological Torture Seriously," by John Bessler

Visit the Podcast Website: Broken Law Podcast

Email the Show: Podcast@ACSLaw.org

Follow ACS on Social Media: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn | YouTube

-----------------

Production House: Flint Stone Media

Copyright of American Constitution Society 2023.

-----------------
Broken Law: About the law, who it serves, and who it doesn’t.
-----------------

Production House: Flint Stone Media

Copyright of American Constitution Society 2025.