What's wrong with this chart?

The ones beginning with Colorado, Connecticut - Are not getting with the program.

What is really wrong with the chart is New York which has the death penalty; but, is failing to do their part in executing it. Sad, that their dilly dallying has kept them from being on the list.

When I saw the list, something struck me. I did not bother to add the numbers up. I was wondering though, about the numbers of people who died as victims of the crime for which the people were executed, the wives or husbands of the victims who were made widows, the children of the victims who were made orphans, and the parents, relatives, colleagues and loving friends of the victim who were deprived of the joy of being with the victim.

I would expect that the people who were enmeshed in the fallout from the crimes committed by the executed individuals, would be much much higher than the numbers of persons who got the death penalty.

Phoenix, What I find disturbing is the simple fact that conviction of crime through our court system does not necessarily prove guilt. That's the reason why so many behind bars have been released after evidence (such as DNA) was discovered that the prisoner was innocent.

If they are executed, we cannot correct the mistake made by our court system.

Just a thought.

Howzabout a racial and/or socioeconomic breakdown of the executed? That is the problem I have with the death penalty.

DrewDad, I did a Google search on that very topic, and the surprise finding was that more whites are executed than minorities.

Re: What's wrong with this chart?


As Texan comedian Ron White says in his act:

I'm from Texas and in Texas we have the death penalty and we use it. That's right, if you come to Texas and kill somebody, we will kill you back. That's our policy. Right now there's a bill in the Texas legislature that would speed up the execution process of those convicted of a heinous crime with more than three credible witnesses. If more than three people saw you do what you did you don't sit on death row for 15 years Jack, you go straight to the front of the line. Other states are trying to abolish the death penalty. My state's puttin in an express lane.

Yeah, the three witnesses are 1st: blind, 2nd: legally blind, and 3rd: blind and deaf.

Speedy trial and execution - Texas style.

Don't forget, the symbol for the legal system in the US is a woman that has her eyes covered.

Eye wintnesses have been known to identify the wrong person as the criminal.

Kansas isn't listed.

There's probably more, but that jumped out at me.

More whites than minorities sitting on our death row.

c.i. - Are you against the death penalty in all cases, or just when guilt hasn't been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt?

Guilt must be proven without any exception to execute a criminal such at Tim McVeigh.

c.i.- The reason that a number of people were released after being convicted of a crime is because many people were convicted BEFORE DNA was considered reliable enough to be used as forensic evidence.

I would expect that now that DNA evidence is in common use, that there will be far less mistakes.

Okay .... McVeigh killed hundreds. But what about the relatively more common murderer who only raped and murdered one or two victims? Death penalty a viable option in your mind if guilt is assured?

That's up to the judge and jury to decide. They will be better equiped to make decisions based on the evidence presented in trial.

Phoenix, As I've mentioned before, it's not only DNA. Eye witnesses are not always reliable.

As I have said in the past, many times, I believe that the death penalty is appropriate only in cases of the most heinous crimes, where the guilt of the person is known beyond a shadow of a doubt.

"Beyond a shadow of a doubt" is still questionable.

Well then, maybe the law needs to devise parameters as to what constitutes, "beyond a shadow of a doubt".