49 Maryland victims families call for repeal of the death penalty

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49 Maryland Victims' Families Call for Repeal

From today's Baltimore Sun:

Voices against death penalty
Victims' relatives, bishops speak against state executions
By Jennifer McMenamin * Sun reporter

ANNAPOLIS - A group of relatives of murder victims called on state lawmakers yesterday to repeal the death penalty, complaining that the long appeals process that accompanies capital murder prosecutions drags families through painful delays without delivering the justice that the system initially promises.

Standing with their arms around each other's shoulders and holding photos of their loved ones, 10 people delivered a letter signed by dozens more like them to the Maryland Commission on Capital Punishment, which held the third of its four scheduled hearings yesterday in Annapolis. The panel is examining disparities in the application of the death penalty, the cost differential between litigating prolonged capital punishment cases and life imprisonment, and the impact of DNA evidence.

Like many others who spoke at yesterday's five-hour hearing, the victims' family members asked the commission to recommend the replacement of the death penalty with a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

"To be meaningful, justice should be swift and sure. Life without parole, which begins immediately, is both of these; the death penalty is neither," Lisa Delity, a schoolteacher from Bowie, told the commission, reading from the letter signed by 49 Marylanders who have lost relatives to murder. "Capital punishment drags victims' loved ones through an agonizing and lengthy process, holding out the promise of one punishment in the beginning and often resulting in a life sentence in the end anyway."

Emphasizing that their request was based not on universal opposition to capital punishment but out of concern that Maryland's use of the ultimate punishment does more harm than good, the letter writers added, "Though we share different perspectives on the death penalty, every one of us agrees that Maryland's capital punishment system doesn't work for victims' families, and that our state is better off without it."
 
The solution is not to end the death penalty, but to limit the number of appeals. We've been over this many times Watermark. You seem oblivious to the fact that our judicial system is a total mess. Why do you continue to lie?

Life "without parole" means nothing, because there remains the physical possibility that they could be released, whereas the death penalty is irreversible. That is why I favor the death penalty when there is credible DNA evidence or a credible confession. They should be allowed one appeal, and if they lose, off to the chamber...

Some people have forfeited their right to live. It's as simple as that.
 
Watermark said:
It's impossible to forfeit the right to live.
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The majority of Americans disagree. But then, you're not an American.

You're a spoiled left-wing lunatic who has never worked for anything.

It occurs to me that you've experienced very little of the real world.

Tell me, what has an unborn baby done to forfeit its right to live? Why do you favor legalized abortion?
 
I would like to note to Thor that these victims families could have very well called for measures to make state execution of an innocent man more likely. They did not.
 
Watermark said:
I would like to note to Thor that these victims families could have very well called for measures to make state execution of an innocent man more likely. They did not.
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I honestly don't give a flying fuck.

The most probable reason is that life without parole is MUCH more achievable, given the current political climate. So long as liberals control Maryland, appellate reform is about as likely as raising the dead.

THINK for a change, Watermark. It might do you some good.

The fact remains that the vast majority of victims' families aggressively pursue the death penalty.
 
Watermark said:
1. Terry Schaivo was as braindead as my grandfather when they cut life support.
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Bullshit. She was not on "life support."

A respirator is life support -- food and water are not.

2. I was mocking you for your dumbass question.
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No shit, but my point still stands. You think killing a child rapist is "barbaric," but you find the butchering of unborn babies fully acceptable.
 
Thor said:
The solution is not to end the death penalty, but to limit the number of appeals. We've been over this many times Watermark. You seem oblivious to the fact that our judicial system is a total mess. Why do you continue to lie?

Life "without parole" means nothing, because there remains the physical possibility that they could be released, whereas the death penalty is irreversible. That is why I favor the death penalty when there is credible DNA evidence or a credible confession. They should be allowed one appeal, and if they lose, off to the chamber...

Some people have forfeited their right to live. It's as simple as that.
Click to expand...

Should we do it like the Chinese do it? You get one appeal and if you lose you're immeadiatly taken out of the courtroom and executed.
 
Not that I disagree that the death penalty should be done away with, but the major points are weak.

"To be meaningful, justice should be swift and sure. Life without parole, which begins immediately, is both of these; the death penalty is neither," Lisa Delity, a schoolteacher from Bowie, told the commission, reading from the letter signed by 49 Marylanders who have lost relatives to murder. "Capital punishment drags victims' loved ones through an agonizing and lengthy process, holding out the promise of one punishment in the beginning and often resulting in a life sentence in the end anyway."
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I would be willing to bet money that if you do away with the death penalty you are going to see the process for a life sentence lengthen. Pro Bono lawyers will switch to those cases as they become "sexier."

I am guessing by "sure" she means without error. Not gonna happen. As long as agents of the state can make a name for themselves by railroading the innocent, they will, regardless of the punishment. Of course, it's probably better to error when the consequences are less damaging.

The state simply cannot be trusted with such an awesome power.
 
RStringfield said:
Not that I disagree that the death penalty should be done away with, but the major points are weak.



I would be willing to bet money that if you do away with the death penalty you are going to see the process for a life sentence lengthen. Pro Bono lawyers will switch to those cases as they become "sexier."

I am guessing by "sure" she means without error. Not gonna happen. As long as agents of the state can make a name for themselves by railroading the innocent, they will, regardless of the punishment. Of course, it's probably better to error when the consequences are less damaging.

The state simply cannot be trusted with such an awesome power.
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It's true her argument was rather weak. Still, probably the strongest voices abolitionists have is the voices of families of victims. Then the pro-death penalty people at least can't condescend by saying stuff like "What if your family member were killed? Would you support the death penalty?", and when I say no, follow up with "WELL IF IT HAPPENED YOU'D DEFINITELY HAVE THE EXPERIENCE TO KNOW IM RIGHT BECAUSE EVERY VICTIM CLEARLY SUPPORTS THE DP."

Just like the American populace, there are plenty victims that support the death penalty, and plenty of victims that oppose it. I'd just prefer that pro-DP people not use victims as a human shield for their position.
 
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