Death penalty takes a hike

The Tennessean ^ | 09/09/01

[Movemout]

Second thoughts about the death penalty seem to be paying off in fewer executions in the United States.

So far this year, 48 people have been executed in the United States. With 14 scheduled before the end of the year, the total number would still be a third less than two years ago when the nation reached a high of 98 executions.

[The Raven]

I just watched "Death Wish" last night. I wondered if anyone has "run the numbers" on the odds of being murdered vs. being wrongly convicted of murder.

We can't bring Nicole Simpson back with DNA evidence - nor could we keep OJ off the streets with it.

[Movemout]

I support the death penalty. I posted this editorial, even with its snide little swipe at Bush, because it points to a trend that should be of interest to people on this forum.

Your observations about DNA and the O.J. murders are noted but I would counter that there seems to have been 21 people who were scheduled to die over the past three years who were cleared to some extent by such evidence and taken off death row. That is 21 people out of thousands no doubt and probably statistically insignificant but what is the measure of a wrongly convicted life?

[The Raven]

I always had problems with both sides of the death penalty argument- since on one hand - it's permanent and government runs the decision process - but I favor it as a necessity for justice. That said, the error rate is low (guess) and the odds of getting killed by some other means is quite a bit higher (another guess) - so I lean heavily toward maintaining the death penalty, especially after the OJ trial.

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

Let me see.... we should give a mass murderer 'natural life'? With chances of parole I take it. Eight years and back on the streets. Before the Death Penalty, we were beginning to form vigilantee organisations. Sounds like fun. With the internet, vigilantee groups could wait outside the prisons at just the right moment.

[Avoiding_Sulla]

No discussion of the death penalty would be complete without data as presented in one guy's chart.

What are the number of murders for the years 1999 and 2000?