THE

DEATH PENALTY

AND WHY IT SHOULD BE OUTLAWED

"A Chicago journalism class proved the innocence of a death row inmate only 48 hours before he was due to be executed." Click to read this AMAZING story

I was once an advocate of the death penalty. I looked at the terrifying crimes perpetrated against children and the defenceless, and I was shocked and sickened. I thought that by killing these monsters our world would be better and safer. Although I still sometimes struggle with the idea when I see a viscious crime committed, I have come to realise that if we kill the killers we are only becoming them. I am amazed that, especially in America, proponents of the death penalty cite God as their justification, and claim to be devout Christians. I simply cannot reconcile this in my mind.

Ironically, it was my husband, David who played a large part in convincing me of this. Although he is a staunch atheist, he has always maintained that the death penalty is an inhuman and barbaric practice.

The other strong influence was the book "Dead Man Walking" by Sr Helen Prejean. I watched the movie starring Sean Penn andSusan Sarandon and I felt there was something missing. I was sure that this woman had far more to tell of her own thoughts and ideas and experiences than what the movie medium allowed. I bought the book and read it slowly. (It is not a book to read quickly). One thing I learned from that book was that we all need to show compassion, even for those who are far less than perfect.

But the greatest thing I learned was the hopeless injustice of the administration of the death penalty in the US legal system, the utter impossibilty of it all, the ludicrousness of the system, the tragedy of innocent lives wasted. I could go on forever about the contents of this book, but all I can say is...READ IT. It is freely available worldwide and is a must read for anyone who would like more information.

It made me realise that what David had been saying to me for years was absolutely and irrefutably true..that it was not possible to fairly implement the death penalty, regardless of the moral arguments against it.

I live in Australia and we no longer have a death penalty here. The last man executed in our state was Ronald Ryan in 1968. He was executed despite inconclusive evidence, by a fiercely conservative government trying to appease its supporters. Studies since show that the odds are overwhelming that Ronald Ryan was innocent. Perhaps that is why he was the last.

READ THIS:

What follows below is a summary of an astounding article published in the Melbourne Age on Saturday March 13th 1999. Reading this article prompted me to finally make this page instead of procrastinating any longer. It illustrates perfectly the level of corruption and injustice prevailing in the USA application of the death penalty today, and illustrates what disturbs me more than anything about the death penalty in the USA...many of those executed are innocent.

A Chicago journalism class proved the innocence of a death row inmate only 48 hours before he was due to be executed. A judge quashed the conviction and released the prisoner, Mr Anthony Porter, who had been convicted of shooting dead a couple in a park in Chicago in 1982.

The key prosecution witness. Mr William Taylor, had testified he saw Mr Porter committ the crime although it was a dark night andhe was 30 metres away. Professor David Protess, who regularly gives his class a death row case to investigate when he feels there are unanswered questions, asked them to investigate this one.

In fact, one of his classes in 1996 also made investigations which led to the acquittal of four men who had been on death row for 18 years! These four men were recently awarded up to $20 million each as compensation. The professor was quoted as saying that once may be a coincidence but twice illustrates the problems in the justice system and that..."there are innocent people on death row".

The students found inconsistencies when they reenacted the crime. They tracked down Mr Taylor who then confessed that his testimony had been coerced by police. Finally they tracked down another couple who were in the park at the time, and the female confessed it was her husband who had in fact committed the murder. He has now been charged.

Interesting Fact:

Mr Porter was the 75th prisoner to be released from death row since 1976 when the death penalty was reintroduced in the USA.

But how many innocent people get caught up in the lunacy of the justice system and are not as lucky as Mr Porter.?? Many have the evidence to prove their innocence but are unable to successfully battle their way through the tangle that is the USA legal system.

WEBRINGS:

The Death Row Inmates Webring and others will take you on a tour of sites of inmates on death row. You can read their startling stories, often of innocence,but always of tragedy. If you would like to help, some of them ask for penpals, or legal or monetary assistance, some ask that you write letters to governments and politicians.

One of the stories which touched my heart greatly was that of Darlie Routier who is on death row in Texas where death penalty frenzy is at its peak. Please visit her site.

Read the story of Jeffrey Weaver, a page I have created for his mother.

DO YOU NEED HELP ???

I am a web designer and I am at your disposal if you know or are a death row inmate who would like a web page. Please email me if you would like to use my services free of charge to construct a web site.

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