ArounddinnertimeonTuesday,TexasexecutedKarlaFayeTucker,a38-year-oldpickaxmurdererandborn-againChristian,bylethalinjection.TheystrappedhertoatableintheHuntsvilleexecutionchamberandpumpedacocktailofpoisonintoherveinsuntilshedied.

Nothingunusualaboutthat.TheUnitedStatesleadstheindustrializedworldinexecutions.AndTexasleadstheU.S.-145ofthe435executedsincetheU.S.SupremeCourtreinstatedthedeathpenaltyin1977werekilledinTexas.Lastyearalone,Texaskilled37ofthe74Americansputtodeath.

Nothingunusualabouttheextremebrutalityofherhorriblecrime,either,whichinvolvedrepeatedlyswingingapickaxintoJerryLynnDeanandDeborahThorntonin1983-aheinousactthatbyherownadmissiongavehersexualpleasure.

NothingunusualaboutherdiscoveringGodondeathrow.

ButTucker'sexecution,andthepublicityswirlingaroundhercaseandthefactshewasthefirstwomanexecutedinTexasin135years,hasforcedmanytotakealonghardlookatthemoralityandlogicofcapitalpunishment.

Byanystandard,theonlyconclusiononecanreachisthatitisnotonlymorallywrong,butindefensibleonpracticalgrounds.

Nosocietythatvalueslifeandabhorsmurdercancondonecapitalpunishment,evenforthemostevilamongus.

State-sanctionedexecutionsarebarbaric.

TheTuckerexecution,likeotherexecutionsintheU.S.,wastheresultofajusticesystemthatisarbitraryandvengeful.Asysteminwhichraceandwealthareoftenmoreofadeterminantofpunishmentthanthebrutalityorevilmotiveofthecriminal.Asystemdrivenbyrevengeandpoliticsmuchmorethanbyjusticeorfairness.ForapoliticianlikeTexasGovernorGeorgeW.Bush,whohasatough-on-crimeimagetocultivate,theTuckerexecutionisjustanothernotch.

Eventhosewhobelievethatcapitalpunishmentismorallyjustifiedincertaincases-andtherearemanywhodo;pollsshow70percentofAmericansandalmostasmanyCanadianssupportthedeathpenalty-cannotdisputethefactthatcapitalpunishmentisinherentlydiscriminatory,incapableoffairapplication.

Asadeterrenttomurderithasprovenineffective.TheUnitedStates(38stateshavethedeathpenalty)nowexecutesmorepeoplethananyotherindustrializednation,74lastyear,yetithashadnoimpactonmurderrates.

Nomatterhowhardlawmakerstrytosetstandardstodecidewhoshoulddie,injusticeprevails.Whileblacksrepresent12percentofthepopulation,theyrepresent40percentondeathrow,where3,200awaitexecution.

Thepoorareoverrepresentedondeathrow-theycannotaffordbetterlawyers.InAlabama,forexample,publicdefencelawyersreceiveonly$1,000toprepareamurdertrialandanother$1,000forsentencing.InCalifornia,where497inmatesareondeathrow,moneyforpublicdefenceattorneysissoscarcethatthereisafour-yearwaitinglistforalegal-aidlawyertoappealadeathsentence.Richpeopledon'twindupondeathrow.

-Executingcriminalsdoesn'tevensavemoney.Lengthydeath-sentenceappealscancostthestatemorethanalifetimeinjail.Executionsdon'tdeliverbetterjusticethanlifesentenceswithoutparole.

-Theriskofwrongfulconvictionisanotherpowerfulargumentagainstthedeathpenalty.Since1970,about75peoplesentencedtodeathwerefoundtobewronglyconvicted.In1995,TexasexecutedJesseDeWayneJacobsknowinghewasinnocent.

InCanada,capitalpunishmentwasabolishedinthe1970s-thelastexecutionwasin1962.JudgingfromtheU.S.experience,wedidtherightthing,despitewhatPrestonManningandotherswhowanttobringbackthenoosehavebeensaying.

ManyAmericansthinkTuckergotwhatshedeserved.InTexas,inparticular,thelynch-mobmentalityseemstorule.IfAmericansthinkthattheirstreetsaresomehowsaferbecauseTexasexecutedKarlaFayeTucker,theyareonlyfoolingthemselves.Statekillingsmakeastatementaboutthevalueasocietyputsinlife-theydon'tcountryabetter,purer,morerighteousplacetolive.

State-sanctionedexecutionsareaboutrevengeandpolitics.Theyarenolessbarbaricthanthecrimestheyavenge. Wednesday-Night.comsite SearchThis Site TheWeb GetaSearchEngine ForYourWebSite