The death penalty

It's nice to see Republicans joining with Democrats to end this practice. The death penalty has done little or nothing to deter violent crime.


Criminal justice reform advocates celebrated this week when Oklahoma Governor Stitt granted clemency to death row inmate Julius Jones. Jones, who was convicted of a 1999 murder, has always insisted on his innocence, and Governor Stitt commuted his sentence hours before it was scheduled to take place.

Stitt deserves to be commended. And yet, the fact that it was left up to him is evidence of a broken system. That the death penalty still exists at all is a failure of policy, given how grievously marked by errors it is. Along with the botched executions, we cannot forget that more than 185 people have been freed from death rows due to wrongful convictions.

Those in deep red Utah are also considering ending the state's death penalty. Governor Spencer Cox, who has previously revealed his support for the death penalty, says he is now open to "reevaluating" his stance on the issue. He is joined by Utah County Attorney David Leavitt, another Republican who has said his office would no longer seek death penalty prosecutions.



https://www.newsweek.com/republicans-across-country-are-joining-fight-against-death-penalty-opinion-1651290

Maybe it will be abolished everywhere eventually but I think a prisoner should be able to request it.

Obviously suicide is an option but there is more dignity in an execution by the government than a death by suicide.

@mchill said
It's nice to see Republicans joining with Democrats to end this practice. The death penalty has done little or nothing to deter violent crime.


Criminal justice reform advocates celebrated this week when Oklahoma Governor Stitt granted clemency to death row inmate Julius Jones. Jones, who was convicted of a 1999 murder, has always insisted on his innocence, and Governor S ...[text shortened]... /www.newsweek.com/republicans-across-country-are-joining-fight-against-death-penalty-opinion-1651290