CAPITAL VERSUS NONCAPITAL MURDERERS

This study compares three groups of murderers: those who have received a death sentence (n = 18), those who were eligible to receive a death sentence but did not have it sought against them (n = 18), and those who were not eligible for the death penalty (n = 18). A retrospective record review of these 54 pretrial detainees in South Carolina who und erwent court-ordered competency and criminal responsibility evaluation s was completed comparing the following variables: age, race, marital status, educational level, prior legal history, relationship to the vi ctim, race of the victim, existence of a codefendant, prior psychiatri c history, psychiatric diagnoses, substance abuse history, use of subs tances at the time of the crime, Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WA IS) or WAIS-Revised Full Scale IQ, and evidence of organic impairment. Statistically significant findings included race of the murderer, rac e of the victim, relationship to the victim, and existence of a codefe ndant. Death row inmates were more likely to be Caucasian and much mor e likely to have murdered a Caucasian than a non-Caucasian victim. Dea th row inmates were less likely to know their victims and more likely to have a codefendant. Psychiatric and organic findings did Blot diffe r among the groups, but the rate of organic findings and substance abu se was high in all three groups.