U.S. Death Penalties Dwindling

U.S. Death Penalties Dwindling, Owing to Costs - TIME: "Fewer death sentences were imposed in 2009 in the U.S. than in any year since capital punishment was reinstated in 1976."

I found that article when I was directed to another Time story, "The Death Penalty: Racist, Classist and Unfair." Which is true, but the last time I researched the death penalty, it seemed far more classist than racist. If you factor for class, a disproportionately high number of both whites and blacks are executed, and a disproportionately low number of Hispanics are:

Percentage of people in poverty who are white: 50%
Percentage of people executed who are white: 58%

Percentage of people in poverty who are black: 25%
Percentage of people executed who are black: 34%

Percentage of people in poverty who are Hispanic: 23%
Percentage of people executed who are Hispanic: 6%

Percentage of people in poverty who are Asian: 3%
Percentage of people executed who are "other": 2%