Deadline
 

Has anyone else on GC seen "Deadline," the documentary about the death penalty and George Ryan's decision to grant blanket clemency at the end of his last term as Illinois governor? It was very thought-provoking. Some of the people on Death Row were eventually exonerated, and others were more clearly guilty. Ryan started out being in favor of the death penalty, and then became concerned about the wrongly convicted people on Death Row. He gradually changed his mind, and ended up commuting all the death sentences to life without parole.

At least in Oklahoma, the death penalty is a joke. If they cannot give Terry Nichols (co-conspirator who has admitted complicity in the OKC bombing that killed 100+ people) the needle, they shouldn't be giving it to anyone.

For a while, I'd wondered why we bothered with the death penalty at all. It's apparently more expensive than life imprisonment, it doesn't seem to have much value as a deterrent, and there's always the risk of wrongful execution. The daughter of a woman I used to know from church got LWOP for killing two people. (She claimed it was self-defense, but generally self-defense doesn't involve shooting people in the back.) Anyhow, this seemed right - she'll ultimately die behind bars anyhow, but we'll be spared the drama of an execution.
Anyhow, the film showed interviews with victims' families, and one of the speakers made the point that juries impose death sentences because they empathize and want to do something to bring "closure" to the families. It was really interesting when they showed victims' family members who opposed capital punishment. They basically said, "We think this is wrong. Don't do it in our name."
Personally, I've never been comfortable with capital punishment. But I remember following the news stories when Judge Lekfow's husband and wife were murdered. It initially looked like it had been orchestrated by Matt Hale, an incarcerated white supremacist. It crossed my mind that maybe it would be OK if they executed him. Then it turned out that he had nothing to do with it, and the murders had been committed by another nutjob.

While I may Not condone it, maybe it can be a deterent!

Tex. Leads the Country and Mo. is close behind!

The BTK Killer Witchata Ks, cannot be given the Death Penalty in Ks. It was before it was implemented and has since been over turned! @ 13 People Who Lost Their Lives to Him!

Now, is that fair?:confused:

So, What should be done? Slap of Hands?:confused:

Tom -- I hear prison is not a fun place to be.