Death penalty is usually imposed because of some type of gross misconduct. 

死刑经常只对某类别的严重犯罪惩处。

A sentencing judge is required to consider any mitigating circumstances before imposing the death penalty.

在处死刑之前，要求量刑法官必须考虑是否有任何减轻罪行之情节。

Capital punishment for murder is based on the idea: that if a person kills someone, he must pay with his own life. 

针对谋杀的死刑判决是基于这样一个理念，如果一个杀死了某人，他必须用自已的生命作为补偿。

He was executed by firing squad. 

他被行刑队处决。

He was guilty of a capital crime. 

他犯了死刑。

He was sentenced to death but was reprieved by the president. 

他被判处死刑但被总统下令缓期执行。

The death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. 

死刑减成终身监禁。 

The prisoners were condemned to death.

囚犯们被判死刑。 

The punishment for treason is death. 

对叛国罪的处罚是处死。

They argued about whether the statute mandating the death penalty is unconstitutional. 

他们就规定死刑的法规是否违宪进行争论。