In the United States many crimes are considered punishable by life imprisonment or a sentence of a few years. However, many crimes have earned people capital punishment, also known as the death penalty. The first known death penalty was recognized by a legal document known as the Code of Hummarubi. In this document, written in 1700, it is mentioned that twenty-five crimes were punished by death. Crimes included being unfaithful to one's partner and even helping slaves escape (Guernsey, 2009). In 1846, the state of Michigan became one of the first American states to abolish the death penalty for all crimes committed. Michigan now replaces the death penalty with life imprisonment (Bohm, 2007). However, the inventor Thomas Edison conducted his experiment on the use of electrocution on animals. In 1890, New York State became the first state to practice the execution of William Kemmler by electric chair. This method later became the preferred method of execution (Guernsey, 2009). In 1924, the first gassing in American history was carried out in Carson City, Nevada. It was known as a less severe execution than hanging, shooting, or electrocution (The History Channel, 2009). Many states, including Washington State, Connecticut and recently Maryland, have suspended the idea of ​​the death penalty. Even though many perpetrators have committed crimes and affected many families, and families may want the worst for that person, no one deserves to be put on death row because it is inhumane and does not teach future generations about what Americans value. The death penalty should not be practiced against any criminal because it is inhumane, expensive and many criminals m...... middle of paper ...... n.com. Retrieved from http://www.nippon.com/en/currents/d00025 NC Coalition for Information Alternatives to the Death Penalty. (2014). Retrieved from http://nccap.org/issues/cost/ Simon, M. (September 22, 2011). Death Penalty Statistics: More than 3,200 inmates await execution. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/22/justice/georgia-execution-fact-box Saint Leo University. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.saintleo.edu/about/florida-catholic-university.aspx The History Channel. (2009, December 16). The first American execution by gas chamber carried out in Nevada. Retrieved from http://deathpenalty.procon.org/view.timeline.php?timelineID=000025 The Armband Protest Against the Death Penalty. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://armbandprotest.net/ The High Cost of the Death Penalty. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.deathpenalty.org/article.php?id=42