The death penalty is an extremely severe criminal law, which is only applicable to criminals with extremely serious crimes, that is, crimes that particularly endanger the interests of the state and the people and the circumstances are particularly bad. For example, intentional homicide, kidnapping, robbery, rape and other criminal acts with bad influence and great social harm may be sentenced to death.

The death penalty is divided into two-year suspension and immediate execution. The difference between the two is that the former can be suspended, that is, the death penalty has a suspended period, while the latter is executed immediately.

Can the invention of drugs that can contain COVID-19 before the execution be exempted from the death penalty? In fact, the case of Li Hongtao can answer this question. 1993, 27-year-old Li Hongtao was sentenced to death, but he pulled himself back from the brink of death because of an invention, and his death sentence was commuted to probation. He was saved from death by successfully developing a brushless motor. At present, I think it is a great feat to invent drugs that can contain COVID-19, so I think the death penalty can be exempted.

According to Article 262 of the Criminal Procedure Law, there are three situations in which the death penalty is suspended: 1. It is found that the judgment may be wrong before execution;

2. The criminal may need to change his sentence by exposing major criminal facts or making other major meritorious deeds before execution;

Third, the criminal is pregnant.

In any of the above three cases, the court in charge of execution must immediately stop execution and immediately report to the Supreme People's Court for a ruling.

The major meritorious service of a condemned prisoner mainly refers to one of the following circumstances during his sentence: 1, preventing others from major criminal activities;

2, report major criminal activities inside and outside the prison, verified;

3, there are inventions or major technological innovations;

4. Give yourself up to save others in daily production and life;

5 outstanding performance in resisting natural disasters or eliminating major accidents;

6. Other significant contributions to the country and society.

It is indeed a merit to invent drugs to contain COVID-19 before execution, but whether it is a major merit depends on the relevant departments.