The fact that there are three defendants on death row under the 1995 law is an emphaticaffirmance that there is very careful, measured decision-making in prosecutors' requestsfor, and judges' imposition of, the death penalty.
affirmance in American English
(əˈfʌrməns)
noun
1.
an affirming or declaring
2.
a confirming
3. Law
an upholding by a higher court of a lower court's judgment or order
Word origin
ME affermance < OFr < L affirmans, prp. of affirmare, affirm