Quote:
Originally Posted by Jay
I do believe in the death penalty. Murder, rape, child molestation, and kidnapping are all on my list of crimes for execution. I know that some of these can repent and receive the Holy Ghost, however they have committed actions that necitate their execution.
The way you solve much of the killing of innocent men is to let prosecutors know that they will suffer the same fate if they are found to have railroaded the innocent.
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That's a nice thought but it doesn't work. We have three judges in my county who made their careers on the backs of an innocent man named Clarence Brandley. So now that you know that they are there what do you propose to do about it?... ummm, nothing... right. The book is called White lies or a movie called Whitewash. Or if you don't have time here is a brief article on him:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarence_Brandley
I challenge you to read it and then see if you could still support the death penalty. Mr Brandley was within hours of execution no less than three times and spent more than a decade on death row.
Recently Texas killed another man who was widely believed to be innocent. Check out:
http://www.innocenceproject.org/know/
Also I do not think a government should have the power to execute it's citizenry. The potential for abuse becomes too great. I know that we all think that it could not happen to us or to our loved ones but it can.
As pastor Martin Niemöller famously said:
First they came for the communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn't speak out because I was Protestant.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.
I think that the time to speak out is while we still have a voice.