Governor Rick Perry, “Hey, at least I wasn’t executing retards.”
I saw this story last night on the Rachel Maddow show;
(ChattahBox)—The 2004 execution of Cameron Todd Willingham, convicted of arson and the deaths of his three little girls, continues to haunt Gov. Rick Perry
, the prosecutors and investigators responsible for Willingham’s conviction, because many national arson experts are convinced he was wrongly convicted. That means that the State of Texas, under the authority of Gov. Perry, may have executed an innocent man.
Now, Gov. Perry is under fire for allegedly attempting to block any further investigation into the Willingham case by a state commission, by firing the head of the commission right before the hearing was to take place.
Besides the fact that an innocent man may have been executed (Texas is famous for this), I have often been against capital punishment because many people put to the death haven’t been given the opportunity to prove their innocence. Trust me, if you are caught with the bloody candlestick in the billard room, you are screwed, but Mr. Willingham’s story is a prime example of a failed justice system. This story will get more interesting as it unfolds. It’s one thing to execute an innocent man, but when you know he may be innocent then try to cover it up you are a pretty freaking disgusting human being, of course this is the same governor that wants Texas to secede. Good Riddance.
The efforts of the Innocence Project have resulted in at least 17 people who were on death row being released after they were proven to not have committed the crime.
If that isn’t evidence enough that capital punishment should be eliminated, I don’t know what is. Humans are unreliable and corrupt, so I feel it is best to error on the side of caution. Besides – it costs more money to put a man to death than it does to keep him in prison for a lifetime.
“Besides – it costs more money to put a man to death than it does to keep him in prison for a lifetime.”
I agree, if it is done with the intent of keeping them in prison for 20 year before we do it. If you have a confessed/convicted killer/rapist/habitual criminal that is sentenced to death, they should get one appeal, a meal, a bullet behind the ear with a short fall into an unmarked grave. Maybe it would be cheaper to cremate them. Sure, there are circumstances that must be considered on a case by case basis, but the U.S. spends too much pampering these monsters. Death row should be more like a trip to the hospital for a terminal illness, than a years long vacation to the Penn.
“Maybe it would be cheaper to cremate them.”
What does a match and gallon of gasoline cost these days?
I guess I look at having to live in a concrete and iron box for the rest of my life a heck of a lot more of a punishment than having a needle poked into my arm and falling asleep.
Maybe some people just really, really fear death and the threat of death is the ultimate punishment, but I doubt it. Studies have also shown capital punishment has no effect on crime, so I’m left wondering what the true purpose is.
Put them to work in a labor camp and feed them bread and water – seems like that would be a lot worse. Reserve the better treatment for those who will rejoin society one day… but for those who are lifers I see no reason to waste resources on them.
There should be a mandatory 7 or 11 year prison term then death by humane injection. A more punishing prisoner thought process but also allow’s time for new evidence. Imposed death has more impact on the living. We (executioners and public) absorb some of the demon the condemned no longer possess.
How about: if it’s proven beyond any doubt that an innocent man has been executed, then the judge, the prosecutor and the governor ALL go directly to death row.
That should make them a little more careful at their jobs…
Case by case basis absolutely, but if the guy is caught red-handed or habitual then it should be out of sight out of mind.
Oh I agree with Randall. The problem is, if your a judge, procecutor & governor…chances are, you’re going to have the $$$ to pay for the coverups. Just ask Rick Perry. I believe there have been NUMERIOUS….I’ll say that again…NUMEROUS…. cases where thee have found out they executed the wrong person, just like there have been NUMEROUS cases where they KNEW they were killing the wrong guy before they did it. The scariest thing about all of this is we have worse people judging/prosecution and GOVERNING these cases than the people that are actually on trial. Its 2010 & money definitely does talk. It won’t talk tho when they stand before God & have to answer for it tho. And eternity is a looooong time.