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 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.