Did Texas execute an innocent man?

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by epchick

I will say that I completely agree with this statement. When you a person who is mostly definitely--beyond a shadow of a doubt--guilty of committing the murder or (like Manson) being the 'mastermind' I believe that once the verdict is rendered that they should immediately be put to death. Why spend any more money on a person like that?

Every person who is convicted of murder is, technically, convicted beyond a reasonable doubt.

How do you define this stricter standard, and how do you enforce it, and who decides when/how to enforce it, and ... ?

[Psi U MC Vito]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

Every person who is convicted of murder is, technically, convicted beyond a reasonable doubt.

How do you define this stricter standard, and how do you enforce it, and who decides when/how to enforce it, and ... ?

This brings up the question of what exactly constitutes a reasonable doubt. Also isn't part of the appeals process to see if a convicted felon is actually remorseful and reformed. Somebody brought up the case of Tookie Williams, which is a good example. No one can deny he was guilty of what he was charged with. But he was also generally remorseful and attempted to atone for what he did. Wasn't he even nominated for the Nobel Peace Price for his actions after he was imprisoned?

[epchick]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

Every person who is convicted of murder is, technically, convicted beyond a reasonable doubt.

How do you define this stricter standard, and how do you enforce it, and who decides when/how to enforce it, and ... ?

True, I guess I mean like something to the caliber of the Manson murders (and even to use examples mentioned here---the OKC bombings and the DC sniper). Something that is so ridiculously heinous that there is no doubt that there would ever be forensic evidence (or any evidence) to prove otherwise.

You would enforce it when you have a murder that is similar in caliber to the ones mentioned....serial killers, or people that murder several people at once...etc.

[UGAalum94]

You know it doesn't take as much comparatively to be nominated for The Nobel Peace Prize. Initially, every year I guess, thousands of people are asked to nominate. In other fields you've got a group of about five doing the nominations for work in the field.

I say that because I get tired of people mentioning it like it really means something about a given person's merit. It means you knew someone among the thousands of nominators who shared your agenda, IMO.