Monday, January 4, 2010

The Death Penalty: They got it wrong.

Today on the NY Times web site I read a short piece about the American Law Institute, a group which apparently was formed to support and gave intellectual credibility to the death penalty. Apparently, the group has decided the death penalty has been a failure and last fall they gave it up -- I suppose as a field of research and support. Theoretically, I guess you could say that's "interesting." In practice, it's devastating.

2 comments:

Carolyn said...

It just seems like a move like that would warrant a little more press...did you read the New Yorker story on Cameron Todd Willingham?

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/09/07/090907fa_fact_grann

Robin Aronson said...

You're absolutely right, Carolyn, more press would have been in order. I did read that New Yorker story about Willingham, and I think about it often. The tragedy of it all seemed too great...and the description of the other people on death row--the inmate with the below average IQ....I don't want to get into a whole thing defending murderers, but I don't think an eye for an eye is the way to go. And don't even get me started on politicians who are adamantly anti-choice because of their religious beliefs but support -- and enact -- the death penalty. I understand the political pressures of the position, but it's a compromise I do not accept. You can't have it both ways. Not to digress.