Innocence lost...
Ok, more on how the death penalty should be abolished.
We convict innocent people... and not infrequently. Based on new DNA evidence, two men in Virginia were just exonerated of crimes that they had already served time for. Three more men were exonerated earlier based on DNA evidence as well.
You don't say.
Illinois, in 2000, suspended its use of the death penalty, after DNA evidence proved that THIRTEEN death row inmates were INNOCENT. The Governor talks about his decision below:
GOVERNOR GEORGE RYAN, Illinois: "We don't want to kill innocent people and we almost did in Illinois, and that's what brought me where I am today, that we had to put a stop to it, because we were this close to killing innocent people, not once, not twice, but 13 times in Illinois. Anthony Porter was two days away, ordered his last meal, fitted for his suit and his coffin, and two days away from execution, we almost executed him. It would have horrendous had we done that."
The State postponed all further executions in order to investigate why more executions had been overturned than carried out since the death penalty was reinstated in 1977.
However, don't get it twisted. Governor Ryan still believes in the death penalty... he just wants to make sure that they are killing the right guys... Which, I think at this point, we have clearly proven that they are not competent and capable of doing.
I am not saying that the death penalty should be abolished just because there are innocent people being punished. I am saying that the death penalty is cruel and unsual punishment. Death does not bring back dead loved ones. It changes nothing, solves nothing. The US is the only Western industrialized nation where executions still take place. Furthermore, it is the only nation that combines frequent executions with a "highly developed legal system characterized by respect for individual rights." We join the ranks of Middle Eastern states (you know, the ones we are trying to bring democracy to...) in States that continue the use and support of capital punishment... interesting. I knew that Bush, Saddam and Hitler had something in common...
An interesting blog to check out that raises interesting questions and parallels:
We convict innocent people... and not infrequently. Based on new DNA evidence, two men in Virginia were just exonerated of crimes that they had already served time for. Three more men were exonerated earlier based on DNA evidence as well.
You don't say.
Illinois, in 2000, suspended its use of the death penalty, after DNA evidence proved that THIRTEEN death row inmates were INNOCENT. The Governor talks about his decision below:
GOVERNOR GEORGE RYAN, Illinois: "We don't want to kill innocent people and we almost did in Illinois, and that's what brought me where I am today, that we had to put a stop to it, because we were this close to killing innocent people, not once, not twice, but 13 times in Illinois. Anthony Porter was two days away, ordered his last meal, fitted for his suit and his coffin, and two days away from execution, we almost executed him. It would have horrendous had we done that."
The State postponed all further executions in order to investigate why more executions had been overturned than carried out since the death penalty was reinstated in 1977.
However, don't get it twisted. Governor Ryan still believes in the death penalty... he just wants to make sure that they are killing the right guys... Which, I think at this point, we have clearly proven that they are not competent and capable of doing.
I am not saying that the death penalty should be abolished just because there are innocent people being punished. I am saying that the death penalty is cruel and unsual punishment. Death does not bring back dead loved ones. It changes nothing, solves nothing. The US is the only Western industrialized nation where executions still take place. Furthermore, it is the only nation that combines frequent executions with a "highly developed legal system characterized by respect for individual rights." We join the ranks of Middle Eastern states (you know, the ones we are trying to bring democracy to...) in States that continue the use and support of capital punishment... interesting. I knew that Bush, Saddam and Hitler had something in common...
An interesting blog to check out that raises interesting questions and parallels:
posted by ARP | 3:16 PM
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