Bar Association Seeks Stop To Executions - News Story - KFOX El Paso

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"Destiny must be shaped and not left to mere chance."..Spencer Collins

While the system is indeed flawed,I do not favor a national moratorium on executions.This should be decided on a state by state basis.

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"Destiny must be shaped and not left to mere chance."..Spencer Collins

Since the issue is the method of execution, I don't see how a moratorium is necessary.

I think it's a bit larger than just a method issue.


WASHINGTON -- Serious problems in state death penalty systems compromise fairness and accuracy in capital punishment cases and justify a nationwide freeze on executions, the American Bar Association says.

Problems cited in a report released Sunday by the lawyers' organization include:

-Spotty collection and preservation of DNA evidence, which has been used to exonerate more than 200 inmates;

-Misidentification by eyewitnesses;

-False confessions from defendants; and

-Persistent racial disparities that make death sentences more likely when victims are white.

The report is a compilation of separate reviews done over the past three years of how the death penalty operates in eight states: Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Florida, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.

Teams that studied the systems in Arizona, Florida and Pennsylvania did not call for a halt to executions in those states. But the ABA said every state with the death penalty should review its execution procedures before putting anyone else to death.

"After carefully studying the way states across the spectrum handle executions, it has become crystal clear that the process is deeply flawed," said Stephen F. Hanlon, chairman of the ABA Death Penalty Moratorium Implementation Project. "The death penalty system is rife with irregularity."

The ABA, which takes no position on capital punishment, did not study lethal injection procedures that are under challenge across the nation. The procedures will be reviewed by the Supreme Court early next year in a case from Kentucky.

Bar Association Seeks Stop To Executions - News Story - KFOX El Paso

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"Destiny must be shaped and not left to mere chance."..Spencer Collins

hmmm... I actually already knew that...

I was reading an article about California's courts and the method of lethal injection used before I responded to that poll.

Sorry, my fault.

In any case, it really doesn't change my answer. I have believed that the criminal justice system has needed fixing for a long while now. I also don't see the moratorium as necessary.

No problem,there have been a lot of DP issues in recent months. I was a DP opponent for over 30 years and just recently modified my opinion on this subject.Anyway..ran across this moratorium movement and thought I would run it up the flag pole

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"Destiny must be shaped and not left to mere chance."..Spencer Collins

I'm still not sure where I stand on DP. I have heard very good arguements on both sides.

Personally, I don't have a problem with it being a bit painful. I DO have a problem with it being applied in an unequal manner.

Your views are very similar to my own.I support the DP but I'm "concerned" with the following issues.

Certainly there is room for improvement on these issues.The system may never reach perfection but I believe we can do better! Especially in the area of DNA collection and preservation. The racial disparities are also troubling.My son is vehemently against capital punishment. He believes it is wrong when our system allows certain defendants to "purchase" justice! He believes that "all" attorneys should be assigned by lottery without exception.He makes an interesting point,you can decline an appointed attorney but nobody should have access to a "better defence" simply because they can afford it.He believes this to be the greatest flaw in our justice system.

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"Destiny must be shaped and not left to mere chance."..Spencer Collins

I think a moratorium will leave room for a study which will cost a lot of money.
There may be a few people who are wrongly convicted. but I suspect the majority have exhausted all avenues to prove innocence.
It may sound cold hearted, but I am not in favor of stopping executions.
I also suspect the discrepancy in race has to do with society as a whole.
There are still a lot of minorities who are undereducated and poorer that their white counterparts. And if some small town wants to railroad a guy because he's black or Mexican or whatnot, a half-assed law clerk would be on that in a NY minute!
We are human and make mistakes, but I think the system of securing evidence and providing witness testimony is as sound as possible most of the time.
I too used to be against the death penalty, but as I mentioned on another forum while discussing rape of minor children, some people just need killing.

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Quote:
Spotty collection and preservation of DNA evidence, which has been used to exonerate more than 200 inmates;

-Misidentification by eyewitnesses;

-False confessions from defendants;

-Persistent racial disparities that make death sentences more likely when victims are white.


This is exactly why I have no problem with a moratorium on the death penalty. The disparities make it obvious that this society is too quick to push for it. Executing even one innocent person is one far too many. Anybody who doesn't have a problem with innocent people being sentenced to death should maybe be one of those innocent people. Sorry--but when it comes to punishing people by ending their lives, getting it "mostly" right just doesn't cut it with me.