Pitt-Bradford students to hold symposium on death penalty

BRADFORD, PA – Criminal justice students at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford will hold a symposium on capital punishment beginning at 7 p.m. Dec. 5 in the Barbara and Lester Rice Auditorium in Fisher Hall.

Students in the Ethical Issues in Criminal Justice course will present arguments for and against the use of the death penalty as well as ethical standpoints for each side. Dr. Patricia Brougham, assistant professor of criminal justice, teaches the Ethical Issues class.

Following the student presentations, Dr. Michael Klausner, associate professor of sociology will make a brief presentation about his research on the topic.

The discussion is free and open to the public, and refreshments will be served.

The audience will be encouraged to ask questions and openly discuss the topic. The discussion will be followed by a presentation of the film, “At the Death House Door.”

The movie follows the career of Carroll Picket, death house chaplain for 15 years in the “Walls” prison unit in Huntsville, Texas, where he presided over 95 executions, including the first lethal injection.

The event is sponsored by the Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences. For disability-related needs related to the event, contact the Office of Disability Resources and Services at (814) 362-7609 or clh71@pitt.edu.