Posted on 04/29/2014 8:38:55 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
At least 4.1% of all defendants sentenced to death in the US in the modern era are innocent, according to the first major study to attempt to calculate how often states get it wrong in their wielding of the ultimate punishment.
A team of legal experts and statisticians from Michigan and Pennsylvania used the latest statistical techniques to produce a peer-reviewed estimate of the “dark figure” that lies behind the death penalty – how many of the more than 8,000 men and women who have been put on death row since the 1970s were falsely convicted.
The team arrived at a deliberately conservative figure that lays bare the extent of possible miscarriages of justice, suggesting that the innocence of more than 200 prisoners still in the system may never be recognised
(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...
Yes, you notice that when they answer your personal ads. What fanciful stories these guys can weave!
It’s easy, also, to dismiss someone else’s loved one being killed by a violent criminal that was released to make sure no one innocent was convicted.
Yes, it’s tough. And I agree that this is THE valid argument against the death penalty unless ABSOLUTELY sure.
But, removing the death penalty would require that “life in prison” actually means “life” and not 20 yrs.
I bet the 4% did alot of other terrible crimes they got away with.
I know. One thing people forget is that as long as a convict is alive, s/he can wield power and influence. Decades ago, Bernard Fitzpatrick was sentenced to die for killing somebody in Montana. He got a new trial because he wasn’t tried separately from his accomplice. Again, sentence to hang(or lethal injection, probably, his choice)He gets a third trial because either his public defender or shrink, I forget, is suspected of being incompetent. This time he gets life. While awaiting sentencing, he escapes from Yellowstone County and burglarizes a school. Fortunately he didnt kill anybody else before being returned to Deer Lodge or wherever he had to be returned to. A lot of the county jails in Montana were not equipped to contain this type of criminal.
Some of the gang affiliated guys, especially can wield all kinds of power and influence from their cells, even if they’re in Max. They can arrange hits, endanger or terrorize other inmates, use Svengali-like influence on outsiders to bring in contraband, etc. And don’t forget the jailhouse lawyering. No lawsuit is too frivolous when you have that much time on your hands.
If you want to read something truly scary, google the Barbara Boardman case on McNeil island.
I assume you're cool with this as long as this innocent person isn't your child, wife or yourself? Right?
And how is society protected by sending an innocent person to prison for a crime that someone else, running free, committed?
You might want to think this through.
In a civilized society under no circumstance, anytime, anywhere, should and innocent person ever be sent to prison. Ever.
Prove it. This is a long time issue, always innocent. Watched this game live for almost 20 years. Work inside the walls and this is common lingo. Always tryignto scam the system.
Prove it. This is a long time issue, always innocent. Watched this game live for almost 20 years. Work inside the walls and this is common lingo. Always tryignto scam the system.
And just how will that be accomplished, Pollyana?
The only way to be absolutely sure of that, "Ever", is to not send 99% probably guilty people to prison, because of that smidgen of doubt. And will you take responsibility, under this kind of system, for the "child, wife, or yourself" that is harmed or killed by the released criminal?
I know, it makes you a "good person" to assert that no innocent person should "ever" go to prison, but should any innocent person be harmed by someone released in error in order to ensure your idealistic vision?
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