Death Row Statistics

I am unable to find the alleged bias in the figures presented in your Sept. 13 article, “Study Finds Racial Gap on Death Row.” Applying the percentages to the total figures you reported, there were 136 whites and 546 minorities charged with capital crimes, of whom 45 whites and 114 minorities were approved for the death penalty. That is 33% of the eligible whites and 21% of the eligible minorities. Thus, whites accused of capital crimes were 1.57 times more likely to get the death penalty than minorities.

There certainly does not appear to be any bias against minorities in application of the death penalty to those accused. The question remains why so many more minorities were accused of capital crimes than whites. That may be bias, and it may be that they indeed commit more such crimes. Your article gave no evidence concerning these possibilities.

HARVEY S. FREY

Santa Monica