Tookie Williams' timeout

Union Leader ^ | Kathleen Parker

[starbase]

[You are only concerned with keeping killers out of society. Out of circulation]

Yes, that's true, that is my only concern. But don't forget that "out of circulation" for us is "trapped forever" for them. Hmmm, the "kill them because my loved one is dead" argument. We will all die eventually, and by letting them die in isolation as a result of time, does that not make us better than them?

I think it might. But I don't know the ultimate answer to this.

[dennisw]

Your mercy is misplaced. I have no more to say.

[Cinnamon Girl]

Somehow people in prison seem to come up for parole hearings every once in a while, and even get let out from time to time. Tookey has lived 25 years longer than the innocent people he murdered. Allowing him to continue writing books and doing interviews disrespects the lives of those he took away.

[cliff630]

I think there is a fallacy in the belief:
"Better to free XX guilty than punish one innocent"

How far do we carry this logic? At some point we, as
private citizens, are at more risk from the freed guilty
than being executed for a crime we didn't commit.

[starbase]

[I think there is a fallacy in the belief:
"Better to free XX guilty than punish one innocent"]

Good point. And no one ever established why there is this open ended relationship. Why is it 4213 guilty to 1 innocent? Why isn't better to kill one innocent and one guilty, than to let 4000 killers out to kill again?

Why? I think because the "Better to free XX" argument is purely emotional, and can therefore find a larger audience.

[Mojave]

I oppose driving, because one road death is too many.

Bingo!

[xroadie]

Your mercy is misplaced. I have no more to say.
Hardly mercy to spend the rest of one's life in prison.
I have no fondness for the death penalty, for reasons that echo Miss Parker's. However, in this case, given the likelihood of his repeating similar crimes, or directing such violence while in prison, I think the death penalty is the only choice.

[al_again]

Who claimed he was innocent?

[al_again]

Who said anything about freeing the guilty?

[Dustbunny]

The state is too fallible and errors do occur; one innocent person being put to death by the state is too many!

[WasDougsLamb]

Dead, he's a martyr; alive and confined for life, he's just another nobody ----Dead , he is a dead murderer., alive and confined for life, he is a murderer who is still alive.

[razorback-bert]

Tim McVey's quickie changed my mind.

[NCLaw441]

You said: I think the people will speak again and this time it will be against the death penalty.
***

If the people speak through their legislators that the death penalty should be abolished, I will respect that decision, whether I personally agree or not. One fear that will remain is what will happen next, if death penalty is ended. I anticipate that the next attack will be on life without parole. It will be likened to death, a slow death, without opportunity for later mercy, except by clemency. The same errors that could possibly result in the death penalty wrongly imposted could result in a life sentence wrongly imposed, and why should the state kidnap people in the name of justice... etc. etc.

[DouglasKC]

That certainty has been established by DNA tests showing that many death row inmates did not commit the crimes for which they were convicted. Case closed.

DNA evidence isn't always certain. I saw a show on the Discovery channel recently about people who essentially carry around two separate sets of DNA. Some cells have one type, some cells another. One went through a long legal battle because a child that she delivered could not be legally proven as her child because it wasn't a DNA match.

[tertiary01]

Alive, he's a danger to other inmates, guards, and anyone who gets in his way if he tries to escape - he knows he'll be spending the rest of his life in prison, and has no reason not to kill.

And I bet with him knowing he is a lifer and not needing to continue to with the good behavior sham, the contracts will be out.

[dennisw]

Waste him. The way Tookie wasted four others. Actually Tookie should die four times to atone for his crimes so he's getting off easy

Waste him meaning trial and execution by the State of California

[Slings and Arrows]

No doubt at all.

[al_again]

And your point is???

Read the article, this is in completely different context as to whether Tookie is guilty or not. In fact, the author makes it quite clear that they think Tookie is guilty.

[al_again]

I'm curious as I've had this discussion numerous times; why always the leap from abolishing the death penalty to convicted murderers being released without being exonerated?

The particular reason I'm against the death penalty is that once applied, it is not reversible. If someone is exonerated, the situation can be rectified to a degree if the person is still alive, if they are dead, nothing can be done.

Now, let's say my argument carries the day and people rise up and convince their elected officials to do away with the death penalty. How does this lead us to convicted murderers being set free?

(sorry for being redundant and saying the same thing multiple times over and over)

[Dustbunny]

And your point is???

I believe in capitol punishment for murderers, he was on death row 20 years too long.