I do have Black's Law Dictionary (hard copy cir 1990) that states:
"Capital case or crime. One in or for which death penalty may, but need not necessarily, be imposed".
When SCOTUS abolished the Death Penalty in Furman v. Georgia, 408 U.S. 153 (1972), Texas did not have life with out parole in the penal code thus those on Death Row were paroled after X number of years served. Life With Out Parole was added to the Penal Code for Capital Murder though the death penalty was abolished by the supremes.
See: Henry Lee Lucas.
*Life With Out Parole was later changed to 60 years minimum.
When Mexico abolished the death penalty, did they abolish the crime classification? If so, what term replaced it?
In essence, they did so, whether 'officially', or not. Your Black's Law Dictionary is correct. A capital case is one where the death penalty *may* be imposed, whether or not it actually is. Absent a death penalty to impose, then there cannot, by definition, be a 'capital case' which was my point all along...
the infowarrior