Would those of you who are for the death penalty consider the possibility?

Question

Texas has been the biggest executioner since the death penalty was reinstated! As most of us know, those who have been executed can never be returned from the dead! That being the case, would you consider this before your final judgement on killing a person who may, very likely, be innocent?
By JEFF CARLTON, Associated Press Writer
46 minutes ago

DALLAS - In a case that has renewed questions about the quality of Texas justice, a man who spent 10 years behind bars for the rape of a boy has become the 12th person in Dallas County to be cleared by DNA evidence.

That is more DNA exonerations than in all of California, and more than in Florida, too. In fact, Dallas County alone has more such cases than all but three states — a situation one Texas lawmaker calls an "international embarrassment."

James Waller, 50, was exonerated by a judge earlier this week and received an apology from the district attorney's office after a new type of DNA testing on hair and semen showed he was not the rapist who attacked a 12-year-old a boy living in Waller's apartment building in 1983. The boy had been the chief witness against him.

Answer 1

I am for the death penalty. But I am only for it in cases where there is no doubt about the guilt of the defendant.

Answer 2

This man was not on death row; therefore you point may not be valid. A capital case has a different set of requirements than a regular criminal case. In almost all situations, capital cases immediately go to appeal after the guilty verdict and death sentance. The appeals process is much longer, the court-appointed attorneys much better paid, and the screening much more detailed to try to avoid an innocent person from being executed. While it is still possible for an innocent person to be executed, the chances of that happening are very slim. To prove guilt beyond all doubt is impossible. The men from Mars could have still come down and committed the crime and since the prosecution cannot disprove the exisistence of men from Mars, this is doubt, though not reasonable doubt.

I personally think it is the cost of this process that is more of a reason to be against capital punishment. The average capital murder case before appeals costs nearly two and a half times more than the average murder case. When you add the automatic appeals process that goes forth and all the safeguards to prevent executing innocent people, the death penalty become cost prohibitive, we are better off financially to put them in prison for fifty years than pay for the trial and appeals that allows them to be executed.

Answer 3

So many answers you have received are based on misinformation. I would like to clear these up.

Re: cost
The death penalty costs far more than lifetime incarceration. The extra costs for the death penalty begin even before trial, mount up during the trial (2 phase trials are required, it is much more complicated to select a jury, many more witnesses are needed and so on). The cost of locking someone up is considerably less than killing them. (In my state, New York, the annual cost to lock someone up is estimated at $35,000. Since 1995, when the death penalty became law here, we have sentenced 7 men to death at a cost of over $200 million. None of the 7 men have had more than one appeal, 3 of them have not had any appeals yet.)

Re: Making sure we don’t execute an innocent person
DNA evidence is available in no more than 20% of all murder cases. It is no guarantee that we will never execute an innocent person. It is human nature to make mistakes.
We do not know for certain whether an innocent person has been executed after the 1970’s. After an execution the case is closed. The death penalty system buries its mistakes.

Re: Deterrence
The death penalty is not a deterrent. Murder rates are actually higher in states with the death penalty than in states without it. Moreover, people who kill or commit other serious crimes do not think they will be caught (if they think at all.)

Re: Alternatives
More and more states have life without parole on the books (including Texas.) Life without parole means what it says and is no picnic.

Re: Who gets the death penalty
The death penalty is not reserved for the “worst of the worst,” but rather for defendants with the worst lawyers. When is the last time a wealthy person was sentenced to death, let alone executed??

Re: Victims families
People should know that the death penalty is very hard on victims’ families. They must relive their ordeal in the courts and the media. Life without parole is sure, swift and rarely appealed. Some victims families who support the death penalty in principal prefer life without parole because of how the death penalty affects families like theirs.

Last of all, opposing the death penalty does not mean a person condones brutal crimes or excuses the people who commit them. I believe that the dialogue on the death penalty should be based on verifiable facts. People should make up their minds using common sense not revenge.

Answer 4

I am opposed to the death penalty. Thank you for speaking up.
Technically, the death penalty is illegal. Murder is defined as one human killing another.
Someone said that if you're loved one had been murdered, than you would want the killler dead. I don't think anyone with a heart could want someone dead. What good will it do? Get revenge? you won't be able to gloat about it, cuz they'll be dead! This goes back to "an eye for an eye". Haven't we advanced any in the last thousands of years?
To many innocent people are unfairly killed. Of course, the executioners regret it, but it's too late. Why don't we kill the executioners?
The death penalty is immoral, and anyone who supports it supports murder.

Answer 5

So I should instead spend the rest of my life paying the room and board of a murderer who can't be rehabilitated and who's sole occupation is killing?

You have to realize that "for the death penalty" is a blanket statement. Its an extreme generalization. I am not for the death penalty in the cases you have listed. I am for the death penalty for repeat offenders. If someone kills, and then is released and kills again. Then they're done. If someone has that much disregard for human life, then they are a danger to those around them and need to be put down like a rabid animal. When an animal is rabid, it is killed so that other animals don't become rabid. When a human being kills other human beings, he/she should be put down so they don't kill more human beings. Death is a far more severe condition than rabies.

Answer 6

I do agree with the death penalty. I'm also sure there were innocent people already who were put to death....and it is wrong. I would hold the district attorney's office liable for this. But there are still too many evil people, who are even now still killing in prison. We don't need to give them a chance to escape. I'm all for DNA evidence.....making sure the right person is convicted. And if he is, then the right person is executed.

Answer 7

hey no one claimed that the death penalty (or the justice system for that matter) was perfect. But personally I am glad that DNA evidence is letting these guys go. I don't want to see innocents die, that is not what the death penalty is all about. It is about rapists and murderers getting there just desserts. Does it make since for us to keep a murderer in jail for the rest of his life (where he is practically treated like a king) when it costs tax payers less to just fry him?

Answer 8

You have to keep in mind that the cases you are talking about are older cases, and back when DNA was first being used or not is use yet......I read a study once about this.....it said that like 98 percent of the people who have been released because of new DNA evidence were in convicted before DNA testing was widly used.........so.......the chances of someone today being wrongly convicted is not very good.....with all th efancy smancy tools they have now.......so why get rid of it....

I am one of those people who think that if you get sentanced to dealth....the you walk straight out of the court house and right to the chair....now wait.....get it over with......and baby rapers and murders...the manditory sentance should be the chair or hanging.......I don't think we should worry about "cruel and unusual punishment" hand em.....I don't care if a 6 time chilmolester feels pain when he dies.....he should in my mind....just like those kids did...

Answer 9

Thank you for speaking up about this important issue! Finally someobody else that recognizes the dangers and pitfalls of the death penalty! The Supreme Court should revisit this issue and this time deem it for what it is, cruel and unusual punishment!

Answer 10

Has there ever been someone wrongly executed? Maybe I'm incorrect but I've never heard of one. Seems like our justice system is working ok.