capital offences
Death penalty violations
Capital offences are crimes punishable by death.
The term comes from the Latin for head—execution historically meant losing yours.
What qualifies varies by jurisdiction: murder, treason, and terrorism are common; some countries include drug trafficking, adultery, or blasphemy.
In states without the death penalty, there are no capital offences.
Also spelled capital offenses.
- death penaltyLegal execution for crimes
- death sentenceJudicial order of execution
- punishmentPenalty for an offense
- felonySerious criminal offense
- treasonBetraying one's nation
execution · criminality · murders · serial killer · wrongful convictions · wrongful death · terrorism · genocide · homicides · clemency · justice · assassination · sanctity of life · abolitionism · hangings · cruel and unusual · piracy · espionage
capital offencesminor infractions
Small legal violations
misdemeanors · petty crimes · infractions · traffic violations · parking tickets
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