There are currently 2092 inmates on death row in the USA awaiting the execution of their death sentences. The average time between imposition of a death sentence and execution in the USA is 12 years. Other national, regional and international courts have decided that such executions are unconstitutional, contrary to international human rights standards, and inhumane. There have been calls for moratoriums and commutation of these sentences on this account, though several factors have been cited as being responsible for this delay. In this session, we will briefly explore an inmate who has been on Florida's death row for 49 years to ascertain the causes of delay and highlight the human rights violations that could arise from such inordinate delay.

Dr Nkem Adeleye is a Senior Lecturer in Law at the University of Worcester. She has experience in teaching a wide range of law subjects including Tort Law, Equity and Trusts, International Human Rights, and Public Law among others. Her research interests are on the death penalty, particularly the death row phenomenon, prisoners' rights and modern slavery. Nkem has presented papers on her research interests in national and international conferences including the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in Geneva.