Santorum rethinks death penalty stance

Pitt Post ^ | 3/22/05 | ann rodgers

[pissant]

A new poll showing that Catholics are backing off support for the death penalty was no surprise to U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, an outspoken conservative Catholic, who says he has been re-examining his own view.

He has not become an abolitionist, and he believes church teaching against the death penalty carries less weight than its longer-standing opposition to abortion. But he questions what he once unquestioningly supported.

"I felt very troubled about cases where someone may have been convicted wrongly. DNA evidence definitely should be used when possible," he said.

"I agree with the pope that in the civilized world ... the application of the death penalty should be limited. I would definitely agree with that. I would certainly suggest there probably should be some further limits on what we use it for."

[pissant]

Santorum is quickly becoming a standard, waffling senator. Too bad

[tatsmom]

Agreed. Maybe he needs to have dinner with Mark Lunsford!

[Pit1]

Not a problem. He is out after the next election.

[You Dirty Rats]

I felt very troubled about cases where someone may have been convicted wrongly.

This would be my issue if I was on a jury. Frankly, "beyond a reasonable doubt" wouldn't be enough for me to recommend a death penalty. I'd have to be next to certain, which is next to impossible to prove.

[mike182d]

church teaching against the death penalty carries less weight than its longer-standing opposition to abortion.

The Church has no stance against the abolition of the death penalty. I wish people would stop comparing the two issues.

[johnb838]

Abolitionist? They're now comparing the death penalty to slavery. They won't be happy until all the law abiders are dead and all the criminals are free.

[marsh_of_mists]

I agree with him. I'm against the death penalty. I think its unnecessary in modern society and it just further adds to a cool view towards life in general. I'm not going around championing its abolition or anything and I think other issues are much more important, but I would prefer life without parole as the standard.

[Brilliant]

I hope he's just doing it for political effect. The death penalty is under attack. We don't need the staunchest conservatives turning against it.

Of course, I don't have any problem with tightening it up to make sure that innocent people don't accidentally get executed. That's the last thing we want to happen, particularly since it would be very difficult to stop repeal of the death penalty if that happened. But the notion that we should simply take some classes of criminals who are clearly guilty and exempt them from the death penalty does not appeal to me.

[12 Gauge Mossberg]

Think Spector somehow has his cock in his pocket?

Thanks for the disturbing, mental image. Now I have to wash myself off with a half-naked chick from one of my Maxim magazines.

[johnb838]

WHAT? So, for example, you couldn't sentence the Lunsford killer to death? Or the Van Damme? Or the Runyon? Or any of the otheres of these horrific killings of children? How about the gang-related drive-bys? Come on. If the evidencce is clear they go the the cheir. (bad rhyme). But I agree it shouldn't be TOO hard to get commuted to life if there is some doubt. Mumia, for example, let him ride the needle. No doubt there, just a bunch of liberals screeching. HEY! Maybe we can trade Terri Schiavo's life for Mumia's?

[johnb838]

I didn't make that expression up, I heard it somewhere but it was a LONG time ago. Don't know why I just remembered it now.

[DTogo]

The manner in which the death penalty is administered nowadays, a needle that puts you to sleep, is probably not much of a deterrant to crime anyway. I'm in favor of eliminating the death penalty, but it needs to be followed-up with harsher prison conditions for the hardened and violent offenders: chain gangs, hard labor, boot-camp style rules/behavior, no TV or weight-lifting, and perhaps a gulag or two in the mountains of Alaska where the worst of the worst go to never be seen again.

[OldFriend]

The man is no different than LIEberman. Selling all the principles strongly held in order to win an election.

Pathetic.

[OldFriend]

Take your commentary over to DU where it will be welcome.

[OldFriend]

Why not visit DU, they'll love your intellectual commentary.

[DollarCoins]

Im at a loss, on one hand I am in favor of eliminating the death penalty, especially when you here of people being wrongly convicted and put to death. Then you see a case such as the one in Florida with the rape and murder of poor Jessican, and you wonder what is proper justice for this disturbed man?

[13foxtrot]

But the notion that we should simply take some classes of criminals who are clearly guilty and exempt them from the death penalty does not appeal to me.

On a moral level I have no problem with the Death Penalty. The problem is that our justice system is too coarse/crude/inept to be trusted with such an absolute penalty.

Even now prosecutors around the country are fighting efforts to use post-conviction DNA testing to exonerate innocents.

[paudio]

I'm for death penalty. Yet, i think it should be reserved for cases such as serial killers whose possibility to be rehabilitated is almost zero.

[Paradox]

On a moral level I have no problem with the Death Penalty. The problem is that our justice system is too coarse/crude/inept to be trusted with such an absolute penalty.

Bingo, thats me too. I am against the practical application of the death penalty. My views have changed on it and have been changing over some time. Its not my cause celebre', so I wont be championing its abolition. But I think in this imperfect world, its not a good idea to mete out such permanent punishment.

That said, I think that bad guys should die. I'd gladly kill them too, if the situation were right.