Comments on: Will Texas Execute an Innocent Man Tomorrow?

By: shell

shell — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 07:27:14 +0000

Bottom Line: WAY too many prosecutors refuse to look at new evidence (or updated evidence) of a crime. Sadly, this mostly only happens in death penalty cases. They should come first, but it should not stop there. There are many innocent people rotting in jail for crimes they did not commit. The Innocence Project needs many more attorneys working for them to get these people freed.

Are these prosecutors retarded? By not owning up to your errors doesn’t make you look strong — it makes you look really really stupid. I say: If there is hard evidence of innocence (like DNA) and the prosecutor refuses to admit it, throw HIM/HER in prison and throw away the key. That is the only thing that will stop these imbeciles.

By: timtimes

timtimes — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 23:35:08 +0000

We should eliminate the death penalty altogether right after Bush’s war crimes trials.

Enjoy.

By: Blub

Blub — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 20:42:04 +0000

the rest of the states should cancel extradition treaties with TX until they comply with international norms on due process, human rights and the treatment of prisoners. By all reports, conditions on the TX death row are sub-human (filth, tiny cages, inedible food, no ventilation, extreme heat)

By: BitterScribe

BitterScribe — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 20:30:29 +0000

Bloodlust. We’ve been fed a steady diet of movies, TV shows and sports, both real and fake, that celebrate bloody vengeance and retribution. No wonder most of America luuuuurves them some executions. I’m just surprised they haven’t yet been offered on pay per view.

By: BitterScribe

BitterScribe — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 20:24:42 +0000

Well, it’s not like this would be the first time something like this has happened in Texas.

After all, you execute as many people as Texas does, human error is inevitable. And as Patrick Buchanan said, “Surgeons lose people on the operating table all the time. What’s the big deal?”

By: Hoosierbrad

Hoosierbrad — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 20:21:59 +0000

I wonder how many innocent people were put to death during Dubya’s tenure, when he granted zero clemency requests from death row inmates. As the Illinois study showed, over 8% of the people on their death row were innocent, not just not guilty! It’s pretty hard to re-gain your freedom after they throw the switch, however.

By: earlofhuntingdon

earlofhuntingdon — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 20:16:27 +0000

There’s a reason “Texas justice” is an oxymoron, one established long before competent Bush and compassionate conservativism joined it.

By: dakine01

dakine01 — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 19:42:34 +0000

“no rational and intellectually honest person can look at the evidence and conclude Larry Swearingen is guilty of this horrible crime.”

I suppose there is a universe somewhere in which Gov Goodhair is a rational and intellectually honest individual.

But it ain’t the one we’re in at the moment.

By: Adie

Adie — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 19:37:46 +0000

Thanks for the prompt update, PW.

I fail to understand why Perry could not have acted in his capacity as Governor. Is there ANYTHING going on in his noggin under all that perfect coif? Would it have been grounds for impeachment if it were left to him and he failed to act on such clear evidence? What is WRONG with such people?!

The governor would appear not to understand the meaning of “pro-life”.

So a federal appeals court does his job so he won’t have to. How convenient.

By: marymccurnin

marymccurnin — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 19:30:59 +0000

Unfortunately, the gov is probably one of those people that cannot be reasoned with and will become more obsessed with killing this poor man. Even if people are innocent in Texas they kill them anyway cause no one gets a do over. The theory is that innocent people get “fair” trials and no matter what evidence is found later they have no right to justice.