Texas executed and innocent man

Turtle

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Re: Texas executed an innocent man

That's pretty ****ed up. It amazes me that a jury, even one in Texas, would convict someone of capital murder on the strength of the testimony of a jailhouse informer. Even if he genuinely did confess to another inmate, it still isn't trustworthy, because it's well known that people will admit to all kinds of stuff in prison to make themselves appear more badass than they are. But to convict someone based on disputed forensic evidence and a he-said/she-said testimony is ridiculous. Even for Texas.

I hope they throw the former prosecutor into the same prison. :D
 

Ragman

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Re: Texas executed an innocent man

That's pretty ****ed up. It amazes me that a jury, even one in Texas, would convict someone of capital murder on the strength of the testimony of a jailhouse informer. Even if he genuinely did confess to another inmate, it still isn't trustworthy, because it's well known that people will admit to all kinds of stuff in prison to make themselves appear more badass than they are. But to convict someone based on disputed forensic evidence and a he-said/she-said testimony is ridiculous. Even for Texas.

I hope they throw the former prosecutor into the same prison. :D
And people wonder how I can be so vehement against capital punishment. This is a perfect example why.
 

layoutshooter

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Re: Texas executed an innocent man

You STILL have not given us a 100% effective way to keep murderers from killing again. While I agree that the death penalty is flawed, I still contend that the guilty that are let go, kill FAR more people than our mistakes have. THOSE people are JUST as dead and THAT problem MUST be solved at the same time. No one has EVER given a good way. They don't want dungeons, they don't want solitary, there has to be an answer. I am waiting to hear it.
 

layoutshooter

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Re: Texas executed an innocent man

Lock 'em up, throw away the key. Problem solved!

We have been down this road before. They can, and do, kill other inmates, guards etc. Just locking them up is NOT 100%. They can, and do, escape too. It is NOT 100%.
 

Turtle

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Re: Texas executed an innocent man

We have been down this road before. They can, and do, kill other inmates, guards etc. Just locking them up is NOT 100%. They can, and do, escape too. It is NOT 100%.

Kill 'em all! Let God sort it out!
 

layoutshooter

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Re: Texas executed an innocent man

Kill 'em all! Let God sort it out!

If that is what you want,have at it. It would not be my first choice. While I have no moral objections to the death penalty I do have MANY objections to what we have in the United States.
 

Turtle

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Re: Texas executed an innocent man

If that is what you want,have at it. It would not be my first choice. While I have no moral objections to the death penalty I do have MANY objections to what we have in the United States.
I don't understand. Kill 'em all is precisely what you are advocating.
 

layoutshooter

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Re: Texas executed an innocent man

I don't understand. Kill 'em all is precisely what you are advocating.

I did? :confused: I asked a question. What can be done to insure that NO one else will ever be killed by a convicted murder again? I believe it can be done, without the death penalty, which would be my first choice.

To just say, stop the death penalty, without a valid solution, is not good problem solving. The "new" solution should always be better than the old idea.
 

Ragman

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Re: Texas executed an innocent man

The death penalty needs to be stopped due to the danger of executing a person that didn't do it, no other reason.

How to prevent convicted killers from killing again is another subject.

As usual, IMHO.
 

layoutshooter

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Re: Texas executed an innocent man

The death penalty needs to be stopped due to the danger of executing a person that didn't do it, no other reason.

How to prevent convicted killers from killing again is another subject.

As usual, IMHO.

There needs to be an answer. FAR more are killed by convicted killers than are killed by mistake executions. THOSE people are just as dead, and there are more of them.

I agree, do away with the death penalty, it must be replaced with an equally 100% solution to follow on murders. Get it done.
 

Turtle

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Re: Texas executed an innocent man

I don't think there is any question, not even debatable, that stopping the death penalty and not executing anybody is way better than the old idea of actually allowing an innocent man to be wrongly executed by the state.

If you're going to execute someone for capital murder, then it absolutely positively must be a no-brainer no-doubter. Not simply beyond a reasonable doubt, but beyond all doubt whatsoever. Sworn testimony isn't good enough. And neither is forensic evidence unless that evidence shows that not only did they do it, but they were the only one who could have possibly done it.
 
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layoutshooter

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Re: Texas executed an innocent man

I don't think there is any question, not even debatable, that stopping the death penalty and not executing anybody is way better than the old idea of actually allowing an innocent man to be wrongly executed by the state.

But how do you insure, 100%, that convicted killers never kill again? Are we not entitled to that degree of safety? I am not arguing stopping the death penalty, I am arguing that there needs to be a 100% replacement. There should NEVER be ANY chance of the guilty killing again.
 

Turtle

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Retired Expediter
Re: Texas executed an innocent man

But how do you insure, 100%, that convicted killers never kill again? Are we not entitled to that degree of safety? I am not arguing stopping the death penalty, I am arguing that there needs to be a 100% replacement. There should NEVER be ANY chance of the guilty killing again.
As Rags noted, that's a separate issue. Life in prison certainly affords a high degree of safety for the public, considerably more than allowing potential, future first time killers to roam free until they kill someone. Until we have a full-blown Minority Report Future Crimes Unit there's little we can do.

Yes, they could kill someone in prison. However, where do you think it's safer, out on the streets or in a prison?

It's not even close. The murder rate nationwide in prison is 3 per 100,000. For those outside of a prison, it's 4.7 per 100,000. Unless you're in Flint (64.9 per), Detroit (54.6 per), or New Orleans 53.5 per). And of course there are towns with fractions per 100,000. But nationwide, you have a better chance of being homocided as a free man than as an inmate.
 

layoutshooter

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Retired Expediter
Re: Texas executed an innocent man

I am well aware of murder rates. Once someone is convicted there is no excuse for them to EVER kill again.

It may be a separate issue but they run parallel. We have to solve both problems, at the same time.

It can be done. Life in prison, without parole, does not provide a 100% safety factor.

I have not yet determined if this list is real. Assuming it is, it points out the "flip" side of the problem.

http://www.wesleylowe.com/repoff.html
 

aquitted

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Re: Texas executed an innocent man

But how do you insure, 100%, that convicted killers never kill again? Are we not entitled to that degree of safety? I am not arguing stopping the death penalty, I am arguing that there needs to be a 100% replacement. There should NEVER be ANY chance of the guilty killing again.
How about if we concentrate more on preventing murders from hapening the first time instead of worrying about if a convicted murderer sitting in a supermax high security prison locked down 22 to 24 hours a day you don't go to chow you get fed thru a slot in the door you don't go to a shower they bring it to you and you dont get to read your mail it is typed out to show you on a monitor and your worried if he's going to break out and/or kill again.
their are more killings and prison breaks or attempted breaks i should say at the lower security levels by cons who weren't convicted of murder. Murderers are usually in a level 5 or 6 6 being the highest security I was in a level 3 and saw a killing almost once every 2 weeks.
I am neither for or against capital punishment but I do like the fact that in Virginia they wait 5 years before executing someone to see if any new evidence is found to prove their case.
 

layoutshooter

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Retired Expediter
Re: Texas executed an innocent man

IF you can come up with a way to prevent murders, I am ALL ears. Since it has NEVER been done in the history of mankind, I have a feeling that a way to prevent murders is a VERY long way off.
 

Ragman

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Re: Texas executed an innocent man

. . . but I do like the fact that in Virginia they wait 5 years before executing someone to see if any new evidence is found to prove their case.
The problem with this is, in some cases evidence has surfaced 10 - 15 years after conviction proving the accused didn't do it.
 
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