Life-and-death decision - Page 3

Backers of Prop 34 target the still-high number of undecided voters

10.23.12 - 4:51 pm | Ivan V. Natividad |

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Will California become the 18th US state to abolish capital punishment?

PHOTO BY AP IMAGES

Among that information, Minsker said, is the fact that "with the death penalty, we sometimes sentence innocent people."

The University of Michigan Law School and the Center on Wrongful Convictions at Northwestern University School of Law reports that in the last 23 years, more than 2,000 people convicted of serious crimes were exonerated in the US.

The Innocence Project, which assists prisoners using DNA testing, found that 18 people previously sentenced to death in the US have been exonerated.

"We have learned that innocent people have been sentenced to death," said Innocence Project Policy Director Stephen Saloom. "States are increasingly abolishing the death penalty because it's just not worth it." According to the Death Penalty Information Center, since 1978 California has executed 13 out of 725 death row inmates, costing California taxpayers $4 billion. "It's not worth keeping this lengthy, costly process any longer," Saloom said, "and I think people are more likely to see that it's not a very good government program."

Comments

Barbaric

Capital punishment is a savage government program. Why don't we bring back solar eclipse sacrifices to Zeus while we're at it?

Posted by GrimCreeper on Oct. 24, 2012 @ 2:07 pm

These psycho-paths have no

These psycho-paths have no capacity for repentance, they have no capacity for reflection--that is why they did what they did. They are heartless and soulless. That they live long after they have killed their victims continues to be a mockery of the victim. They psycho ends up with the last laugh... What needs to be done, is to reform the system, so that they are dispatched to their damnation as soon after they do the crime--let them do their appeals within 5 years-- Doing away with the death penalty for budgetary reasons is the height of folly; those people have to cared for in prisons for the rest of their life. When the DNA is present, when substantial evidence is present--then convict and dispatch...

Posted by Guest: StevenTorrey on Oct. 25, 2012 @ 7:48 am

Completely judgemental

@SteveTorrey, you are being completely judgmental toward people you don't even know. They are not all "psychos," and "heartless."

The death penalty has been proven not to be a deterrent, and innocent people do get convicted even after DNA and other "substantial" evidence has been presented. Getting rid of the death penalty would guarantee innocent people will never die in the state of California. It is not just a fiscal issue, it is a moral one.

Posted by David Corey on Oct. 25, 2012 @ 8:18 pm

Prop 34

I am, at heart, a supporter of the concept of a death penalty. However, I will be voting for Prop 34. Simply put, we can no longer afford the expense of the program.

Posted by Guest on Oct. 27, 2012 @ 8:57 am

David Corey

David: please tell me your comment was comedy shtick. Since when is a psycho anything but 'heartless and soulless'?

Please, the death penalty is equally a moral issue to provide ultimate punishment / judgment in a timely fashion. The victim deserves this.

In Connecticut, two psychos killed a family in a gruesome fashion; they're continued existence on planet earth presents a mockery of the victims.

Looking at budgetary considerations for the death penalty represents a bean counter gone berserk.

Posted by StevenTorrey on Oct. 29, 2012 @ 7:02 am

Steve Torrey Broaden your perspective please

http://www.innocenceproject.org/Content/Petition_for_Cameron_Todd_Willin...

Posted by David Corey on Oct. 30, 2012 @ 8:06 am

Great Job Babe!

Too bad it's not passing :(