Posted on 01/10/2006 9:21:18 AM PST by LouAvul
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Current and former prosecutors, including the author of California's 1978 death penalty initiative, are calling for a moratorium on executions in the state.
Moratorium proponents say California has freed at least six men who were wrongfully convicted and sentenced to death since 1980. They expressed their concerns in a letter sent Monday to state Assembly members.
"We agree that a temporary suspension of executions in California is necessary while we ensure, as much as is possible, that the administration of criminal justice in this state is just, fair and accurate," the letter states.
The Assembly on Tuesday is scheduled to hold the first hearing on a bill that would halt executions until Jan. 1, 2009, while the California Commission on the Fair Administration of Justice studies wrongful convictions. The legislature created the commission last year.
Moratorium proponents sent their letter the same day that the New Jersey state legislature approved a suspension of executions, becoming the first in the country to do so since the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976.
Supporters of the California moratorium include former Los Angeles County District Attorney Ira Reiner, whose prosecutors sent dozens of people to death row while he was in office from 1984 to 1992; Sacramento attorney Donald Heller, who wrote the initiative that created the state's death penalty law; Michael Hennessy, the San Francisco County sheriff; and former California Supreme Court Justice Joseph Grodin.
(Excerpt) Read more at modbee.com ...
The last time this happened Charles Manson's sentence was commuted to life without parole. In retrospect, does anybody think this was a good idea?
Just say
No.
This is the direction I fear our country is headed for..
Murderers being let out into the street to kill again..
That is why I support Capital Punishment..
There is no "recidivism" rate with a dead murderer..
A dead murderer will never kill again.. ever.
As long as society and courts abrogate the responsibility to end the lives of violent criminals, often career criminals, repeat criminals, they can look forward to the possibility of getting out of jail..
The possibility of being able to murder again, rape and kill again, rob and kill again..
No moratorium on executions.. No moratorium on seeking the Death Penalty..
What we need is a moratorium on seeking clemency for these bastards..
Ditto.
"If you kill somebody and there is no question of a doubt you did it, you should be executed. Period.
"
You might want to think about the use of the word "kill" in that sentence. Murder is a better word, doncha think?
Right. Murder is the correct term.
Yeah, I wonder if that statement includes shooting a junkie trying to break into a pickup truck.
If it weren't for the quick thinking Secret Service and able doctors, President Reagan would have died when he was shot. His attacker missed being a murderer by the slimest of margins. Because he did, he is now going home on visitations.
He shot Reagan with the intent to kill him. That's good enough for me. If you attempt a murder, then you're guilty of murder in my eyes. And if you are guilty of that, you don't deserve to be sharing air with me, my family, my friends co-workers and fellow citizens.
If there are people on death row whose cases need to be reviewed, review them. If not, then execute them.
It now takes around 24 years to execute a murderer in California. This is due to decades worth of appeals and reviews to make sure the killer has been treated fairly.
Please don't try to make the case that we need a moratorium. We have a 24 year moratorium every time someone is sentenced to death. That's enough.
More evidence that too many prosecutors don't really care if the right person is convicted.
I used to be a big supporter of the death penalty until I learned that many prosecutors are corrupt.
Criminal defense attorneys are more honest than most prosecutors.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.