LEGAL INCOMPETENCE
INNOCENCE
Only 102 "innocent" prisoners have been
released from Death Rows across the nation.However, the question remains
"Were these prisoners actually innocent?" In fact, it is arguable
that at least 68 of the 102 defendants on the List should not be on the
List at all–leaving only 34 released defendants with claims of actual innocence–less
than ½ of 1% of the 6,930 defendants sentenced to death between
1973 and 2000
source: prodeathpenalty.com
Fallacy:
"A review of death penalty judgements
over a 23-year period found a national error rare of 68%." (ACLU Death
Penalty Campaign statement)
Correction:
"The most important error rate-- the rate
of mistaken executions-- is ZERO" - Paul G. Cassell
DNA EVIDENCE
Fallacy:
"Since the United States Supreme Court
ruled in 1976 that capital punishment is not 'cruel and unusual,' 618 prisoners
have been executed across the nation and about 80 have ben exonerated...
Those disturbing odds beg the question: If the chances of executing an
innocent person are so high, should we have capital punishment?" (ABCNews.com,
March 6, 2000)
Correction:
"While most of those release from death
row have been released for political purposes or for technical reasons
unrelated to guilt, it is true that only a very small number have been
released based on DNA evidence proving their innocence."
Source: The New American.com