Bruck's main claim is that the death penalty is inhumane. He is trying to persuade readers that the death penalty is illogical and unnecessary in our American society. Bruck cites some examples of men who were wrongly convicted and executed. He also mentions a man who was specifically sentenced to death but who was mentally insane while on death row. The author explains the laws relating to the death penalty and mental illness. The author also takes pains to discuss arbitrariness. The author describes this as when people commit a crime that unexpectedly results in murder. He uses the example of Ernest Knighton who had planned to rob a gas station which later ended up killing the owner of the gas station. The author did not think that the criminal's death sentence was fair. Bruck states that he should not have been electrocuted because his intent was not to kill the gas station owner. The author then goes on to question the jury's motives regarding the color of his skin and the color of the jury. One of the other things this author talks about is the idea that prisoners on death row are chosen at random. The author does not seem to find a crime heinous enough to result in the death of the criminal. While Koch was the