[steve50]

If I had to send 150 people to their deaths knowing that 5-10 are likely innocent and sentencing disparities affect another large percentage, I'm not sure I would have done any different.

I guess people have different views on the acceptable error rate.

[SJackson]

It's not a matter of an acceptable error rate.

This isn't a new issue. Ryan and others have had years to look into the circumstanced of each case individually.

More importantly he's had years to fix the system.

IMO a case by case review makes sense, a blanket amnesty doesn't. This was a political stunt from a disgraced politician.

[Dialup Llama]

So then the logical solution is to commute the sentences of all the murderers? Ryan did what Saddam did when he gets pressured- he released convicts from jail as a gesture of how wonderful he is in order to shift attention. Ryan is trying to be Mr. Civil Rights because he's going to soon has his own experience with the criminal courts and wants to make out like OJ.

[Republic of Texas]

The way to handle this, if you truly thought that innocent people had been executed, was a CASE BY CASE review. Anything else is just grandstanding.

[Wondervixen]

I guess the question here is steeped in reality vs fiction. Was his decision based on a really strong set of facts or was Ryan exaggerating the biggest part of this?

[Revelation 911]

I am not prepared to take the risk that we may execute an innocent person,"

Sounds like the pangs of a conscience speaking

Steve - I agree with your sentiments too- Its bad enough weve locked up a percentage of innocent men thier entire lives, but to compound that with thier execution would be extremely reckless.