Our Death Penalty Policy, Revealed
The recent news of Tookie’s death inspired this editorial. I asked my roommate, Michael Lamb, to draw me a picture of lady justice peeking through her blind and seeing two criminals, one less fortunate than the other. Guess which one gets death?
I’m for the death penalty in some cases, but I feel that our implementation of it isn’t as just as it should be.
Filed under: Satire by ramdac |
December 14th, 2005 at 12:50 pm
Well, when you’re rich you can afford the best attorneys money can buy.
It may not be fair, but that’s the way the world works, unless it’s a high-profile crime and a skilled defense attorney wants his name in the newspapers.
What exactly do you mean when you say “our implementation of it (the death penalty) isn’t as just as it should be.”
Are you talking along racial or economic lines?
December 15th, 2005 at 6:53 am
Thats a good question Chris.
The justice system doesnt favor the rich, but the rich have the money to cloud the issue.
Most obviously guilty criminals get the opportunity to plead guilty for life in prison, if they choose to go to trial anyway, well that is the consequences. I believe the Supreme Court said as much about Tookie Williams. He was never willing to just admit what he did.
Ramdac, Do you believe the justice System is racist?
December 15th, 2005 at 1:10 pm
Because if it was about race, then O.J. Simpson’s money would not have gotten him off. I mean everyone knows he was guilty.
December 16th, 2005 at 5:08 am
I am all about prisoner rehabilitation. However, for capital punishment crimes… I don’t care what good things they’ve done in prison. Eye for an eye. I hope going forward with DNA proof in a case, that executions are carried out more expeditiously. Versus our tax dollars funding years and years of prisoner upkeep, medical costs, endless court appeals, etc.
My only qualm that makes is messy… all of these folks being proven innocent by DNA 15 years after their crimes. Who bets we’ve mistakenly executed innocent people? Death penalty, obviously, when there’s no shred of doubt of guilt.
December 16th, 2005 at 11:34 pm
Joey, I made no mention of race. However, I do feel that the poor are slighted by our implementation of the death penalty. They don’t have the same avenues of protection that those with an unlimited bankroll have.
O.J. proved it wasn’t about race, as did Michael Jackson.
It goes deeper than simply race–it’s about class.
If its racist, it’s only racist indirectly. Because wealth in America is spread disproportionally among whites and blacks, favoring whites.
December 17th, 2005 at 6:05 am
Well, I’m for equal opportunity.
Whether white, black, rich or poor, if you’re convicted of first degree murder, you’re neck should be swinging from a tree.
January 11th, 2006 at 12:18 pm
Even though I liked some of the things Tookie did at the end of his life, I still think he should have been executed.
But I do agree with the point that if you have wealth you will have a better shot at getting off than someone of less fiancial clout. I don’t think anyone disagrees with that…but I am unsure what can be done about it?