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A Recipe For the Death Penalty
North Miami Beach, Florida 2-7-2000 Aaron H. Schectman
THINKING ALLOWED
Essays on issues, ideas and reflections on the times. Published now and
then. Opinions pro or con are welcome.
A RECIPE FOR THE DEATH PENALTY
It is quite clear that no one has sympathy for a murderer. It should be a
given that no one really wants to inflict cruel and unusual punishment on
convicted criminals for to do so we would behave just like the criminal.
But governments, acting on behalf of its citizens, do seem to be callous in
regard to the trial, conviction and punishment of many who eventually are
proven innocent of breaking the law. Even if it were for a trivial few, we
should be advocates for the innocent.
The action by the Governor of Michigan in stopping all executions until
some sense is made of the number of innocent convicts who were assigned
execution dates is timely. I have no idea what the study will produce but I
do have a recipe for the death penalty.
My recipe for the death penalty provides that the punishment given to the
innocent should be meted out equally to those who allowed or caused the
miscarriage of justice to happen. The argument goes that not only are some
prosecutions conducted illegally but some defenses are inept and criminally
negligent in protecting the innocent. I question how often are those who
railroaded a death penalty or who, as counsel, slept through trials of
innocent accused persons, were punished for their alleged misconduct?
Trials in which a person's name is dragged through the mud by zealous
lawyers trying to make a point are never rebuked or made to pay reparations
after savaging an innocent party. Can we ever have 100% fairness and
justice?
It is assumed here that innocent persons may be wrongly prosecuted,
defended, judged and convicted for crimes they did not commit. We should
insist that this shameful reality be ended or minimized. What do you think?
Carol's Evaluation: She would rather this not be published.
North Miami Beach, Florida February 7, 2000
Aaron H. Schectman
THINKING ALLOWED
Essays on issues, ideas and reflections on the times. Published now and
then. Opinions pro or con are welcome.
A RECIPE FOR THE DEATH PENALTY
It is quite clear that no one has sympathy for a murderer. It should be a
given that no one really wants to inflict cruel and unusual punishment on
convicted criminals for to do so would behave just like the criminal. But
governments, acting on behalf of its citizens, do seem to be callous in
regard to the trial, conviction and punishment of many who eventually are
proven innocent of breaking the law. Even if it were for a trivial few, we
should be advocates for the innocent.
The action by the Governor of Michigan in stopping all executions until
some sense is made of the number of innocent convicts who were assigned
execution dates is timely. I have no idea what the study will produce but I
do have a recipe for the death penalty.
My recipe for the death penalty provides that the punishment given to the
innocent should be meted out equally to those who allowed or caused the
miscarriage of justice to happen. The argument goes that not only are some
prosecutions conducted illegally but some defenses are inept and criminally
negligent in protecting the innocent. I question how often are those who
railroaded a death penalty or who, as counsel, slept through trials of
innocent accused persons, were punished for their alleged misconduct?
Trials in which a person's name is dragged through the mud by zealous
lawyers trying to make a point are never rebuked or made to pay reparations
after savaging an innocent party. Can we ever have 100% fairness and
justice?
It is assumed here that innocent persons may be wrongly prosecuted,
defended, judged and convicted for crimes they did not commit. We should
insist that this shameful reality be ended or minimized. What do you think?
Carol's Evaluation: She would rather this not be published.
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