Posted on 02/17/2015 1:02:47 PM PST by jazusamo
Attorney General Eric Holder called Tuesday for a national moratorium on the death penalty until the Supreme Court weighs in on the issue later this year.
“Our system of justice is the best in the world. It is comprised of men and women who do the best they can, get it right more often than not, substantially more right than wrong. But there's always the possibility that mistakes will be made,” he said.
“It is one thing to put somebody in jail for an extended period of time, have some new test that you can do and determine that person was, in fact, innocent. There is no ability to correct a mistake where somebody has, in fact, been executed. And that is from my perspective the ultimate nightmare.”
Holder went on to say he disagrees with Justice Antonin Scalia, who has said the U.S. has never executed an innocent person.
“It’s inevitable,” he said during a luncheon at the National Press Club.
Late last month, the Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal the from death row inmates in Oklahoma who are challenging the state’s procedures for lethal injections.
"I think a moratorium until the Supreme Court makes that decision would be appropriate," Holder said.
They case follows the execution of Oklahoma inmate Clayton Lockett, 38, who died of a heart attack after receiving the first part of the three-drug cocktail.
According to media reports, he writhed in pain and clenched his teeth before ultimately succumbing to cardiac failure. Lockett was convicted of shooting a 19-year-old woman in 1999 and watching as accomplices buried her alive.
President Obama called the botched execution “deeply troubling” and ordered a federal review of the country’s use of the death penalty, including state protocols for administering capital punishment.
Holder said the review is still underway.
“I don’t think it will be completed during my time as attorney general,” he said.
The Justice Department previously said Holder hoped to complete the review before he left office.
He should but knows he would never face anything due to the cowardly GOP. Though I do think the likes of Cruz, Palin, Lee and a couple of others if in the white house would go after him and the cover ups they have been doing.
So does every SOB that visits the dentist.
No sympathy. At all.
OK Holder, but we need just ONE more execution......
From yesterday:
Utah lawmakers approve bill allowing execution by firing squad
Holder and Bathhouse Barry are getting worried.
The Constitution doesn’t guarantee painless executions.
The death penalty should be in cases of “no doubt”, not reasonable doubt...life term for that. If new evidence arises there’s always the possibility of releasing innocent people, too late if they’re dead. I believe there’s many innocent people behind bars.
Well then, why does he not halt ISIS executions? Do you think he see’s the tragic irony in all this?
That's the last thing Holder and Odinga..are worried about.
DNA testing has exonerated some people wrongly convicted, some on death row. Hopefully with the advancements made in forensic science the number of people wrongfully convicted will go down.
There is still a problem with overzealous detectives and prosecutors that withhold evidence and pay witnesses to lie because they only care about keeping their job.
I am for capital punishment for the truly guilty, and I don’t really care how cruel it is.
They just do what they want to do because it FEEEEEEEEELLLLLS good.
The releasees will murder someone else later, but at least it won't be me, and I'll feeeellll good for letting someone "have another chance" out of jail.
They have no idea what kind of ogres we've got locked up under death sentences..... Lefties go all auto-symp over Death Row inmates as if they were all poets and romantics. They have no idea. They think Silence of the Lambs was just a movie, people like that don't exist.
I wonder if the 19 year old girl they buried alive writhed in pain?
This is satire, right? For the love of God, somebody please tell me this is satire!
Sez da man who BURNED DOWN A CHURCH..???
How many on death row across the US are Negros?
Not sure but that figure may/may not shine light on this bigots statement
Media reports? Do they have any credible witnesses?
I used to work with a liberal that vehemently opposed capital punishment but was “pro-choice”. He also claimed to be Christian. I asked him to explain to me how it is OK to kill an innocent child but not OK to kill a convicted murderer.
He never did come up with a good answer, especially because he was Christian the claim that the fetus isn’t a child didn’t fly.
Of course he did. Does he feel that same way about illegal immigration? I mean we should hold off on it until the Supreme Court weighs in?
_________________________________________________________
...and what about Fast and Furious???? Holder has ALOT to answer to whether he is in or out of Office.....
They come across looking generous and loving, just like Santa Clause, and it is always at the expense of someone else.
So does every SOB that visits the dentist.
For me, the pain starts when I first make the appointment......LOL!
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.