I've always thought we could farm out our death row inmates to a Bolivian or Thai or Nigerian prison, say at $30,000 per annum, and keep them alive on the chance that the eye witness will have a change of heart. It's a plus for the Bolivians, it's no fun for the prisoner, and it is reversible in case some mouth breathing DA committed a pooch screw 'cause he/she wanted to be governor.
It might actually be a deterrent if some gang banger from Chicago thinks he could spend life in some Thai lockup, a long way from his homies.
The clarity and elegence of Pascal, Will Rogers, and Ronald Wilson Reagan.
The clarity and elegance of Pascal, Will Rogers, and Ronald Wilson Reagan.
Until recently, I was a supporter of the DP. After realizing how much corruption we have in our justice system, I have come to the point where I no longer trust the government with the power to take a life.
And why should the government be able to decide that one life has more value than another? If a criminal kills a Federal employee, they qualify for the DP. Kill a cop...ditto.
So we have the possibility of a situation where Criminal "A" is speeding away from robbing the local 7-11, T-bones the mailman's little truck, and the mailman dies as a result. Meanwhile, criminal "B" has invaded your (or my) home, raped, tortured, and killed the wife.
Guess which one is almost guaranteed to face the DP in court? I don't like the idea of the government (Federal OR State) deciding that government lives are more valuable than the lives of the "little people".