The Death Penalty- A Second Look
Date: 11. februar 1998 18:42
What follows is an article I wrote some time ago that was
submitted to a local newspaper. The newspaper had not the courage
to print it. In light of what is happening right now, I was
tempted to submit it to another paper, but I am moved to share it
with this list first. I will have to edit it and update it of
course, but here goes:
The Death Penalty-A Second Look Most recently, the death penalty
has been a focus of not just the America n Bar Association, but
of concerned citizens as well. While the state of Texas launches
an execution frenzy, President Bill Clinton has taken action to
make appeals even more difficult for those prisoners who reside
on the death rows of this country. So why should society be
concerned? Perhaps the concept of the death penalty needs a
second look.
The death penalty was ruled unconstitutional back in June of 1972
(Furman v. Georgia) because it constituted cruel and unusual
punishment, which is a violation of the Eighth and Fourteenth
Amendments. Yet, a few years later, it was reinstated. Now, as
far as I know, the Constitution wasnt rewritten, so how could the
violation of two Amendments change? Yet, that is what happened,
and now in recent polls, more favor state executions than ever
before.
The Death Penalty has already been proven to not be a deterrent
against crime. The Death Penalty is not cost effective. The Death
Penalty is not imposed fairly; where will you find a rich man on
Death Row? U.S. News and World Reports recently reported that
families of victims who chose to witness executions of those
convicted of the murder of their loved ones, more often than not,
found no closure or healing in the process. Aside from all of
this, the use of the Death Penalty runs the risk of executing the
innocent. That is the most important consideration. Recently, on
Court TVs Cochran and Company, this very issue was discussed.
Barry Scheck, of OJ fame, did stress the number of death row
inmates who were found innocent and released. At almost 70 in
number, he used this as his defense for abolishing the Death
Penalty; and it is a good defense. Yet, when asked for an example
of an innocent prisoner that was executed, Scheck said he didnt
have
that information published anywhere. It seems to me that Mr.
Scheck needs to do his homework! Innocent victims of state
executions include: Girvies L. Davis, Roger Keith Coleman, Robert
Nelson Drew, Larry Griffin, David Spence, Ellis Felker, Barry
Fairchild, Roy Stewart, Leonel Torres Herrera, Warren McCleskey,
Jesse Dewayne Jacobs, Edward Earl Johnson, Willie Jasper Darden,
and Jesse Tefaro (the true killer in his case has since been
paroled).
For every innocent life lost, there are many more in danger of a
similar fate. Can we as a society allow this? Can any excuse be
given to the loved ones of these executed victims? There is no
excuse.
What is also appalling are the number of juveniles that reside on
death row.
There are 37 children on Death Row in 12 states. Montana, South
Dakota, Idaho, Arizona, Utah, Louisiana, South Carolina and
Pennsylvania dont even have a minimum age for death penalty
prisoners. Can we allow children to be put to death, knowing that
there are no doubt innocent victims among them also?
The Death Penalty violates the Declaration of Human Rights, yet
this country still holds fast to it. As quoted by David Lee
Powell, sentenced to
deathin Texas, "The act of murder is an admission of ones
inability to solve a dilemma in any other way. The state of Texas
solves its problems with lethal injections.".
Proponents of the Death Penalty enjoy quoting Old Testament
Scripture by solely focusing on "an eye for an eye",
yet they totally discount what Jesus taught us in the New
Testament about forgiveness. The people you will find on the
death rows of this country are not the wealthy, the famous, or
the professional; what you will find are the poor, the minority,
the mentally ill, and the retarded. You will find those who never
had the resources to hire effective counsel, and now cannot obtain
effective counsel to appeal their sentences.
"An execution is not simply death. It is just as different
from the privation of life as a concentration camp is from
prison. It adds to death as a rule, a public premeditation known
to the future victim, an organization which is itself a source of
moral sufferings more terrible than death. Capital punishment is
the most premeditated of murders, to which no criminals deed,
however calculated can be compared. For there to be an
equivalency, the death penalty would have to punish a criminal
who had warned its victim of the date at which he would inflict a
horrible death on him and who, from that moment forward, had
confined him at his mercy for months. Such a monster is not
encountered in private life."
--Albert Camus
Had the Death Penalty not been overturned in 1972, my dearest
friend would no doubt have lost her life. Her life was spared, as
were the lives of
all others on Death Row at the time.. Not only could she have
been robbed of her life and her chance to experience His Grace,
but I and all those who love her would have been robbed also. Can
we take the chance? Can we as a society justify the state
organized murder of innocent people in the name of justice? Its
time we as a nation give a second look at the death penalty and
realize that it could affect any one of us. Never say never.
-L. Mann
FreedomLink, Inc.
http://www.freedomlink.org
The Dove's Nest
http://www.freedomlink.org/dovenest.html
Visit our virtual bookstore at
http://www.freedomlink.org/books.html
Romans 12:19-21
"Beloved never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath
of God for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will
repay'...Overcome evil with good".
My e-pager is at: http://wwp.mirabilis.com/7263347#pager
You can message me from anywhere!
***************************************************
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never
come to an end; they are new every morning; great is thy
faithfulness. "The Lord is my portion," says my soul,
"therefore I will hope in Him." - Lamentations 3:22-24
-------------------------------------------------------------
Private reply: "FreedomLink. Inc. "
<advocate@freedomlink.org>
Public replies: deathpenalty@assocdir.wuacc.edu
List owners: Julian Killingley, julian.killingley@uce.ac.uk
Ray Spring, zzspri@acc.wuacc.edu
To unsubscribe, send message to: listserv@assocdir.wuacc.edu
message merely says: unsub deathpenalty
Technical question? Mark Folmsbee, zzfolm@acc.wuacc.edu
Washburn's WashLawWEB, a comprehensive legal research site:
http://lawlib.wuacc.edu/washlaw/washlaw.html