Did Texas execute an innocent man?

Houston Chronicle ^ | Nov. 19, 2005 | LISE OLSEN

[jerry639]

Even if he was innocent of the crime, the State of Texas should not be faulted. It was his friend and the eye witness that executed him. You are right about all murderers in history claiming to be innocent.

[Zon]

People need to realize that as long as there is capital punishment, there will be some innocent people put to death. To say otherwise is pure folly.

I concur. 

Because the mistake cannot be undone being put to death should be the convicted person's choice. And in the case of a confession on the witness stand wherein the defendant is fully aware that he may be sentenced to death. I don't think a confession to the police should hold up as irrefutable proof unless the entire confession is video and audio taped.

To any person that argues in favor of the state imposing the death penalty rather than the convicted person's choice I remind them: it could be you, your child, spouse or loved one that -- though they're innocent -- could be put to death. ...A terrible mistake that cannot be fixed. What miscarriage of justice are you willing to suffer? To the individual, there can be no greater miscarriage than to be wrongly put to death.

[Ninian Dryhope]

"Or, do you mean the universal impression that's at large from the frequency and volume of death penalty cases carried out?"

There are lots of murders in a large state like Texas, many more murders than there are executions.

Who cares about the impression that's at large? That impression is created by liberal reporters in the liberal media who are against the death penalty under all circumstances and twist and distort facts to fit their agenda.

I guess you just love to lap up that MSM bullcrap and spew it back at us like a good little parrot reciting the gospel truth.

[Ninian Dryhope]

"I got kinda sick a couple of years ago when they were frying several a month."

Do you read the Houston Chronicle? There are plenty of weekends when more than a few people are murdered in Houston alone. Besides, there were years of backlogs that had to be fried to get us up to date with the current crop of murderers.

[al_again]

ah - but the system only works for some. The fact that innocent people end up on death row in the first place is somewhat disturbing. The fact that some innocent people actually get executed is very disturbing. Unfortunately, once an individual has been put to death, there are not that many people willing to expend significant resources trying to prove them innocent. I'm sure there is an equally long list of those who were innocent but executed.

In short, the system certainly does not work. In the above case, one could reasonably conclude that this individual should not have been put to death - even the prosecuting attorney seems to agree with this position. It is a very arguable point as to whether the system is working!

[verity]

[Ninian Dryhope]

"To any person that argues in favor of the state imposing the death penalty rather than the convicted person's choice I remind them: it could be you, your child, spouse or loved one that -- though they're innocent -- could be put to death. ...A terrible mistake that cannot be fixed. What miscarriage of justice are you willing to suffer? To the individual, there can be no greater miscarriage than to be wrongly put to death."

To which I reply, that I think the chances are better that I, my child, spouse, or loved one would be murdered by a criminal not deterred by the death penalty than that they would be unjustly executed for a crime they did not commit. It is more likely that I, my child, spouse, or loved one would be hit by a meteorite than be unjustly executed for committing a murder they did not commit.

[al_again]

A large part of the public, if not the majority, believes that if you are accused, you are guilty. Even if you are wrongly accused you must be guilty of something else and you deserve the punishment. Innocent people are NEVER accused of committing a crime.

Absolutely right - the people who do get arrested had to be doing something wrong to get arrested in the first place! And these bozos actually have the nerve to question the tactics of the police and sometimes even accuse the police themselves of being crooks! Unfriggin believable - how dare these people question the professionalism and integrity of law enforcement officers - especially in places like New Orleans!

[Zon]

Are you denying that innocent people have been and will be put to death? Regardless of how well refuted that argument is you, your child, spouse or loved one -- though innocent -- could be put to death. Answer the question please.

[al_again]

So in real life, it is not a matter of some innocent people may be executed, therefore, get rid of the death penalty, it is a matter does the death penalty save more innocent lives than it costs? I think it does.

My friend, you have hit upon the crux of the argument! This really is the debate and it is a worthwhile one: Are a few innocent peoples death acceptable for a perceived 'greater good'?

Many would and do find this acceptable. The innocent person being put to death probably disagrees with this, as do I.

[al_again]

Well that was worthwhile!

[verity]

[BigCinBigD]

That's a shame. A shame it took eight years to put the POS to death.

[jaguaretype]

"Even if you are wrongly accused you must be guilty of something else and you deserve the punishment. Innocent people are NEVER accused of committing a crime."

Really? I hope I missed your sarcasm.

I have experience on the street with SJPD and IMHO and with all due respect your statement is false.

Innocents are wrongly charged....I have arrested people based on what appeared to be a certain set of circumstances only to discover after further investigation either by us or the DA investigators that the "perp" didn't perp after all.

Lighten up sir. I'm glad I didn't serve with someone like you.

And be thankful you live in the USA where hopefully due diligence will be afforded to you if you ever find yourself in an unfortunate predicament were fallible (REPEAT fallible) people are in a position to take your freedom from you.

And I truly do understand the frustration with the revolving door situation.

[jaguaretype]

I'll take a whack on answering your question.

"Are you denying that innocent people have been and will be put to death? Regardless of how well refuted that argument is you, your child, spouse or loved one -- though innocent -- could be put to death. Answer the question please."

The truth is no one really knows if innocents have been executed other than reiterating what somebody has written and possibly bias enters into the equation.

As for your situation ethics comments regarding whether a family member might find themselves in that predicament, as though that should change someone's opinion about whether they agree with the death penalty.....sheesh.....that sounds like a DU posting.

The DP is EITHER morally right or wrong for EVERYONE. Not everyone but my family or yours. There is no light white or dark black.

Forgive me fellow Freeper but I'm just tired of hearing this "situation ethics" garbage from leftists I come across "emoting and feeling" their drivel.

I better go have a glass of vino and a puro.

[jaguaretype]

BTW I like the tagline!! LOL!!!

The guy really didn't say that did he/she?

[doug from upland]

Ann Richards was the governor.

[umbagi]

The Texas judiciary appears to have become merely an arm of the prosecutor's staff and the trial and appellate courts treat executing someone who is probably guilty, but plausibly not, as cavalierly as does a ruthless actual criminal who kills indiscriminately as just another part of his criminal act.

That is so not so...

[higgmeister]

Not only has the key eyewitness recanted, even the prosecutor thinks they got it wrong. People need to realize that as long as there is capital punishment, there will be some innocent people put to death. To say otherwise is pure folly. This case appears to be one of those cases. This is the main reason I am against capital punishment - you can't fix mistakes!

Are you against automobiles too? A tremendously larger number of innocent persons are killed in vehicle accidents than are executed unfairly. That might be a worthwhile undertaking, to crusade against automobile murders. We are all better off with this 26 year old (not teenage) offender TU in a dirt-nap.

[al_again]

Please try and put together a reasoned argument - I know it can be tough.

There just might be a slight difference between somebody dying in an auto-wreck vs the state taking away ones life. If you think really, really hard, you just might be able to see what the difference is!