Subj : Re: [twgsdotorg]
To   : All
From : Dr. Bad
Date : Tue Jan 14 2003 10:38 pm

>Death penalty opponents always use the scenario of 
>the "innocent death
>row inmate" to try to argue against the penalty. I'm sur 
>this happens
>occasionally, but I believe it is far less frequent than 
>death penalty
>opponents claim. 

IMHO a _single_ incorrect execution is sufficient to make the death penalty 
highly unattractive. Remember, the death penalty is not a choice between 
killing them vs letting them go, its a choice between killing them in about 10 
years time, vs locking them up for the rest of their lives. The difference to 
the community on the guilty ones is pretty minor compared to the loss of even 
just one innocent life.

Dr. Bad

--- The Mad Hatter <twgsdotorg@twgs.org> wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> Check CNN, MSNBC, Nytimes.com, etc., all of the major news sites
> covered it.
> 
> And yes, these people were innocent. Through DNA testing (which was
> not available when many of them were convicted), research, etc. the
> convictions were overturned, and in several cases the real
> perpetrator was convicted.
> 
> 8 of the convictions were obtained by confessions that were extracted
> under torture. The officer who obtained those convictions has been
> removed from the police department, however he has not as yet been
> jailed (I was unable to even find reference to him being charged).
> 
> The Criminal Justice systems of both Canada and the United States
> have errored with great regularity. A conviction in a court of either
> country does not mean that you are guilty, it often means that you
> could not afford a good lawyer. Harsh but true.
> 
> What is really scarey about this is that you stand a better chance of
> getting j

.