Letter: Another reason to end executions

Tuesday, July 16, 2002 | 8:57 a.m.

Thanks to Michael Pescetta, an assistant federal public defender, for his thought-provoking commentary on July 7.

Not all states have capital punishment. That simple fact points to grave anomalies within the system when whether a person lives or dies can depend not upon their innocence or guilt, but where that person lives, how much money he or she has, and all too often, it seems, skin color. Surely this is reason enough to end capital punishment. But there is more. Different studies have shown many have been found to be innocent after spending years on death row. How many more did not live to see the day?

There is something very primitive about calling for blood when a crime has been committed. Taking any life is a crime; taking another life as a way of punishment only compounds the wrong. If we choose this path, we teach our children by example that violence is acceptable -- the more violent the crime, the more violent the retribution.

Is this what we want for our children? And ourselves? The test is simple. How would you feel about the death penalty if someone very close to you was waiting to die at the hands of the state? Would you be inclined to support a moratorium on the death penalty then? If you think it could never happen to you, think again. I am sure that at some stage every person on death row thought the same.

There can be no mistakes made in halting capital punishment -- on the other hand, its imposition has been shown to operate at best in a random and inconsistent manner and at worst, it is reasonable to assume, has meant the loss of innocent lives. Is it worth the risk to maintain such a flawed system of "justice"?

H. LAND