Yes, that chart says it all Barnacle. Excellent post. I agree with those that say the motivation behind Ryan emptying death row was to generate some jury/media sympathy for him when he is put on trial for the licenses for bribes scandal. Ryan is truly the republican version of Bill Clinton. A person completely devoid of character; a criminal through and through.
Regarding the controversy surrounding the death penalty, much like the issue of abortion, this will be a contentious issue for many years to come. And it doesn't help that there is a certain political dynamic involved. Sigh, well, you know what I'm talking about...I'm talking about peeplow.