The death penalty—myth, propaganda, and truth

Rodney Reed is scheduled for execution on November 20, and the first federal executions in 16 years begin December 9. On this week’s Kicker, Robert Dunham, executive director at the Death Penalty Information Center, and Kyle Pope, editor and pulisher of CJR, discuss the mistakes national and local reporters make in their coverage of the death penalty. Dunham explains the culture of fear that sustained American execution at its peak, and the importance of reporting policy over politics.