Ga. executes Davis; supporters claim injustice
• APGeorgia inmate Troy Davis has been executed for the killing of an off-duty police officer in a case that has drawn worldwide support over his claims of innocence. Courts consistently ruled against him, however, and the officer’s family says they fin
Same day, different state (I guess some people do not get attention from the media or the anti-death penalty people until it is too late):
White supremacist executed for Texas dragginghttp://www.chron.com/life/article/White-supremacist-executed-for-Jasper-dragging-2182561.php
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/therootdc/post/obama-silent-on-troy-davis/2011/09/21/gIQAH9tIlK_blog.html
I'm actually in favor of the death penalty, but this is one of those times when it has been abused. I'm not sure Mr. Davis was innocent; however, as long as there were so many real and unresolved questions, it wouldn't have hurt anyone to have investigated the situation further. Seems to me that there were many more questions than answers, regarding the validity of witnesses and the lack of physical evidence. As best I can tell, the only "winners" were the arrogant, biased, and "my way or the highway" s--theads who couldn't admit that they might have made a mistake or two. Unfortunately, since it's too late for their parents to buy a condom, the best we can hope for in these types of circumstances is that these mindless morons will get over their bloodlust, quit their jobs, or age-out of life.
After supporting the death penalty (because some murders deserve it), I came to completely oppose the death penalty a decade or so ago on the basis if two things:
1. Unlike false imprisonment and wrongful conviction where monetary awards are possible, you cannot compensate the innocent once put to death. And innocent people are put to death just as assuredly as innocent people are frequently exonerated (usually with the government kicking and screaming all the way) eventually being released from prison.
2. No one in their right mind should allow any government the power to kill anyone---regardless of government procedures erected by the (same) government to insure "due (government) process." Governments will ALWAYS expand their power and the uses of that power acceded to them. So too has it declared or tried to declare the ability to put people to death for crimes beyond capital murder expanding the judicial categories that it can put people to death.
Best to conclude government doesn't deserve such power no matter how heinous a poster boy for the death penalty occasionally pops up. Life in a cage forever works too. And occasionally, someone innocent will be exonerated and released to seek compensation.