I was always in favor of the death penalty and believed it could serve as a deterrent for would-be criminals. It would certainly stop me from killing someone. However, I do believe that the appeals process, the lack of care and attention that is required by those who keep the process moving, have turned the death penalty into a paper tiger, so to speak. I have always believed that if someone is convicted beyond a shadow of a doubt to be guilty then that’s all society has to go on.
Until now.
The more I have read and become involved with the West Memphis Three the more I have come to question my stance on the death penalty. I do not follow the typical “an eye for an eye leaves the world blind” mantra that most of the anti death penalty crowd follows. However, given the situation the WM3 are in, and the situations that Edward and Dominique Green were in, I refuse believe that society should let this practice continue when there are such blaring and obvious holes in the system that one cannot even dispute. All we have now is a system of killing run by people in a position of authority who are too scared to do the right thing, risk causing an uproar and would rather go with the flow and kill potentially innocent human beings.
Again, if a re-evaluation of their case evidence once again proves they are guilty, then they should remain in prison. But I’m not so sure following through with their death would be the best course of action. I am definitely not a professor of Administration of Justice and I do not have a Ph.D. However, I know what I feel is right and I do not see how the death penalty process for those who are not completely and obviously guilty is right. The death penalty should be reserved for those monsters such as Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacey, and Jeffrey Dahmer.
Article comments
1 - Joe
Send us Mumia.
Joe, Houston, TX
2 - Dave Nalle
Would it be better to be California where Scott Peterson will have to wait an average of 200 years before he sees the death chamber?
Dave
3 - Jean Carper
Ther is no justice in Texas I was conned and had over $26.000 dollars worth of jewelry stolen from me I notified the Watauga Police department and faxed them 27 pages of information on the case including the letter where the woman that had stolen it confessed to taking amd selling my things They did nothing not even had the curtisy to call me back concerning this matter. What it came down to was the woman in question is now living with a retired FBI agent whose son is a very prominit business man in Watauga. The ex- FBI agent told me he could and would have the case swept under the rug. I feel it is safe to say that is excately what happened. Texas cares nothing for the victims of crimes just their good ol boys Now what will happen I will have to find a Texas lawyer to sue them putting out even more money as I am a disablied person with limited means and all my resources have been stolen from me.I don't have any more funds to pay a lawyer considering these people conned me out of over $40,000.00 dollars. Everything I had with the help of an ex FBI agent.The same 2 people I charged with the theft were in Watauga jail on charges of Fraud both have crimminal back grounds consisting of bad checks, fraud, conning people out of their money. Whats the problem here didn't my case warrent being looked into I even sent a signed confession from the woman to the police excately what do they need???? I am the victim here not the crimnial.Don't Mess With Texas you have that right unless your a crimnial then you have rights.Thank you for nothing Watauga Police my most sincere hope is I never have to come back to Texas for any reason.Your are a disappointment to the justice system, to handicapped people who get ripped off in your state.
Jean Carper NC.