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Renee Kevern
Devin Patten
English 1010
May 4, 2014
Killing is Wrong Versus Killing is Sometimes Right
There are many small an su!tle "oints #hen it $omes to the eath "enalty !ut the large
%uestion seems to $ome o#n to #hether &illing is #rong or &illing is sometimes right' (or most,
this e$ision is !ase on religious, "hiloso"hi$al, an e$onomi$ !elie)s' The argument o) ones
"ersonal !elie)s $an not !e $onteste, #hi$h is #hy this issue has !een e!ate )or years #ith no
"er)e$t ans#er' *n re$ent years, many states have o"te )or the alternative, li)e #ithout "arole'
The mis$on$e"tions surrouning !oth o) these o"tions lea "eo"le to have strong !ut o)ten
unin)orme o"inions'
+oth sies $an agree that the only sure #ay to in$a"a$itate a $riminal )rom re,o))ening is
to en their li)e' The num!ers on #hether $a"ital "unishment eters $rime is o)ten s#aye to the
sie using the in)ormation' -n o)ten mis$on$eive argument is that !y en)or$ing the eath
"enalty that the ta."ayers are save the )inan$ial !uren o) su""orting a $riminal )or li)e #hen in
)a$t, the "ro$ess o) trial, a""eals, housing, an e.e$utions )ar e.$ee those o) housing an inmate'
(inally, the $onse%uen$es o) "utting an inmate to eath an later )ining out they are inno$ent
$an not !e unone'
Su""ort )or $a"ital "unishment has iminishe in the last several years' Si.ty "er$ent o)
-meri$ans say they )avor the eath "enalty )or $onvi$te murerers' This is the lo#est level o)
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su""ort /allu" has measure sin$e 0ovem!er 1122, #hen 324 #ere in )avor' Death "enalty
su""ort "ea&e at 504 in 1114, !ut it has graually e$line sin$e then 67ones8' The in)ormation
on !oth sies o) the argument $an !e $onvin$ing an $on)using' - strong, !ut misin)orme
su""orter o) the eath "enalty might re$onsiering their o"inion on$e they have the )a$ts in )ront
o) them' They may also )eel more 9usti)ie !ut no# have a &no#lege !ase to su""ort their
o"inion' The most im"ortant element is that one:s o"inion is !ase on )a$t an not 9ust emotional
assum"tion'
-vo$ates #ill argue that the eath "enalty oes eter $rime' ;""onents #ill argue that
statisti$s "rove that it oes not' Most "eo"le #ill agree that statisti$s $an !e s&e#e to#ar either
sie' ;n$e the num!ers are $onsiere the math oes the $onvin$ing' *n the mi 11<0s the rate o)
e.e$utions #as nearly =ero, )inally ening #hen the Su"reme >ourt stru$& o#n all e.isting
eath "enalty la#s in (urman v' /eorgia 6405 ?'S' 2@56112288' During that same time "erio
)rom 11<<,1122, the homi$ie rate in$rease at an alarming rate, !eginning in 11<< at 3'< to
1'06"er 100,0008 in 1122' That rate $ontinue to in$rease to 1'5 #hen in 112<, the Su"reme
>ourt reauthori=e the eath "enalty in /regg V' /eorgia 6425 ?'S' 13@6112<88 ' These num!ers
sho# that #hile no e.e$utions #ere "er)orme uring this time the num!er o) homi$ies #as on
the rise' -)ter the reinstatement o) the eath "enalty, the )irst e.e$ution #as "er)orme in 1122'
The homi$ie rate remaine steay )rom 5'5,10'2 over the ne.t several years #ith u"s an o#ns
until )rom 1113 to 2012 it $ontinue to e$rease ening u" at 4'2 6(+*, ?ni)orm >rime Re"orts8'
>om"aring those num!ers #ith the e.e$utions, !et#een 1122 an 1152 there #ere only 1,2
e.e$utions ea$h year' (rom 115@,1114 there #ere any#here !et#een 11 an @5 e.e$utions "er
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year' *n 1113 #hen #e sa# the )irst e$line in homi$ie rates, there #ere 3< e.e$utions' That
rate "ea&e #ith 15 e.e$utions in 1111' 6DP*>8' *t is true that these num!ers o not ta&e into
$onsieration the large num!er o) other $ontri!uting )a$tors, !ut they ini$ate the homi$ie rate
has e$line #hen the e.e$ution rate is high'
- $ommon mis$on$e"tion is that the eath "enalty saves money !y eliminating the nee to
im"rison a $onvi$te $riminal )or li)e' The >>(-7 #as only a!le to o))er rough estimates o)
$a"ital "unishment $osts in >ali)ornia' The >ommission estimate that >ali)ornia $urrently
s"ens A1@2'2 million on eath,"enalty,relate $osts ea$h year' This estimate #as ivie into
"retrial an trial $osts at A20 million annually, A34'4 million ea$h year )or the $ost o) state,level
a""eal an ha!eas "ro$eeings, an $on)inement $osts at A<@'@ million annually' The
>ommission #as una!le to $al$ulate the $osts o) )eeral ha!eas $or"us "ro$eeings 6Petersen,
0i$holas, lyn$h, Mona8' We $an !rea& that num!er o#n )urther' -$$oring to statisti$s
"rovie !y the o))i$e o) >ali)ornia:s non"artisan Begislative -nalyst, the $urrent annual $ost )or
maintaining an inmate in a state "rison is A42,102 6Begislative -nalyst ;))i$e8, +ut the
alternative,the eath "enalty,may $ost ta."ayers even more' Pu!lishe re"orts !y !oth the
0orthern >ali)ornia $ha"ter o) the -meri$an >ivil Bi!erties ?nion 6->B?8 an ?S- Toay say
it $osts an aitional A10,000 a year, in$luing the $ost o) a""eals, to house "risoners on eath
ro# than in the general inmate "o"ulation 6+arr8'
The only #ay to reu$e the total $ost o) an inmate on eath ro# #oul !e to reu$e the
num!er o) years that are s"ent there' The average time !et#een senten$ing an e.e$ution in the
?nite States has steaily in$rease to 1<'3 years as o) the en o) 2011' *n states li&e >ali)ornia,
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the total la"se time )rom senten$ing to e.e$ution e.$eee t#o e$aes as o) 2005 6Sun, -ngela
-"ril8' Why the elayC >olonial e.e$utions generally o$$urre #ithin a )e# ays o) $onvi$tions'
(ollo#ing the im"osition o) a $a"ital senten$e, o))i$ials ty"i$ally neee time only )or ere$ting
gallo#s an a9usting #or& an s$hool s$heules to muster $ro#s to the "la$e o) e.e$ution'
This "ro$ess ty"i$ally o$$urre only a )e# ays a)ter the $onvi$tion that itsel) usually o$$urre
only a )e# ays a)ter $a"ture 6/er!er an 7ohnson8'This suggestion is o!viously unreasona!le
!ut #ith the moern s$ien$e o) toay, $onvi$tions are !eing mae #ith not 9ust no reasona!le
ou!t !ut #ith no ou!t #hat so ever' States shoul $onsier limiting the time )or a""eals to a
)e# years'
*s the system )ail "roo)C ;) $ourse not' *n a s"ee$h mae !y Senator Ro!ert 7 Martin
#hile see&ing to o a#ay #ith the eath "enalty in 0e# 7ersey, he argue in )avor o) li)e #ithout
"arole senten$es'
This alternative "unishment has multi"le avantages' Most signi)i$antly, i) !y
$han$e, our la# en)or$ement system ma&es a mista&e !y $onvi$ting an inno$ent
"erson, #e $an at least "artially uno that great #rong' Se$only, !y im"osition
o) a li)e senten$e #ithout "ossi!ility o) "arole, #e $an s"are the )amilies o)
vi$tims )rom having to sit through, ta&e "art in, an enure seemingly never,
ening legal "ro$eeings, o)ten e.tening )or a e$ae an !eyon' (inally, #e
$an remove )rom "rose$utors an 9uges the onerous !uren o) having to engage
in the almost all,$onsuming, "ainsta&ing "ro$ess o) ensuring that ea$h ste" an
stage in a eath "enalty $ase is hanle "ro"erlyDsin$e the #orst nightmare )or
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"rose$utors an 9uges is the )ear that someho# they have mae an irreversi!le
mista&e, there!y turning one horrenous tragey into t#o'
*s there enough error to 9usti)y eliminating the eath "enaltyC -s o) the summer o) 2002, there
have !een 200 $onvi$te $riminals e.onerate as a result o) D0- evien$e' These in$lue all
$rimes' ;nly 14 o) the 200 have !een eath "enalty $ases' Sin$e there have !een a!out <,000
iniviuals senten$e to eath !e)ore that, one $oul argue that 14 e.onerations is an a$$e"ta!le
error 6/er!er an 7ohnson8' That num!er is rasti$ally reu$e #hen you $onsier that D0- #as
not an o"tion uring the trial o) these $onvi$te o))eners an that toay, D0- evien$e #oul
!e use'
*n the "ast, "rose$utors #oul use a s$are ta$ti$ against the 9ury, $onvin$ing them that the
only #ay to insure the $riminal #oul not !e let !a$& out on the street is to give a eath senten$e'
That ta$ti$ is eliminate !y introu$ing the li)e #ithout "arole senten$e as an o"tion' -s the
Earvar Ba# 7ournal state, FT#enty years o) e."erien$e #ith li)e,#ithout,"arole statutes sho#s
that although they have only a small e))e$t on reu$ing e.e$utions, they have ou!le an tri"le
the lengths o) senten$es )or o))eners #ho never #oul have !een senten$e to eath or even
!een eligi!le )or the eath "enalty'G ;ne e."lanation given in the same "u!li$ation is, Fthat there
is $onsiera!le overla" !et#een e)enants senten$e to li)e #ithout "arole instea o) eath an
e)enants #ho, in the a!sen$e o) li)e,#ithout,"arole statutes, #oul eventually have ha their
senten$es reu$e, overturne, or $ommute' *n other #ors, the e)enants #ho #ere s"are
eath !y li)e #ithout, "arole statutes are e)enants #ho #oul have !een s"are any#ayG
6Earvar Ba# 7ournal "g 2 H 148'
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The ->B? "ut out a re"ort 9ust listing FSho$&ing (a$tsG on li)e #ithout "arole,
IThe num!er o) ?'S' "risoners #ho re$eive li)e senten$es #ithout "arole %uaru"le
!et#een 1112 an 2012'
IMore than 15 "er$ent o) nonviolent o))eners serving li)e #ithout "arole in the )eeral
system are in )or their )irst o))ense'
I>laren$e -aron , a $ollege stuent #ith no "rior $riminal re$or, #as given three li)e,
#ithout,"arole senten$es )or his minor role in t#o "lanne large rug eals, one o) #hi$h
never too& "la$e' Ee re$eive longer senten$es than his $o,$ons"irators an has s"ent the
"ast 20 years in "rison'
These three "oints, hel" us to see that i) the li)e #ithout "arole senten$e $ontinues to !e
overuse, the inmate "o"ulation #ill gro# out o) $ontrol' This alternative senten$e !eing o))ere
!y those #ho o""ose the eath "enalty is the same senten$e that )irst time non violent $riminals
are !eing given' The in$onsisten$y o) $rimes versus senten$e o not a u"' To %uote -ttorney
/eneral Eri$ Eoler, F6t8oo may "eo"le go to too many "risons )or )ar too long )or no goo la#
en)or$ement reason' We nee to ensure that in$ar$eration is use to "unish, eter an reha!ilitate
D not merely to #arehouse an )orgetG 6(orsyth8' This #or&s #ell )or those #ho #e are a!le to
reha!ilitate !ut sometimes li)e #ithout "arole is not enough' *n an arti$le The Denver Post "ut
out, suggeste, Fthat a li)e senten$e #ithout the "ossi!ility o) "arole is a su))i$ient senten$e )or
every ty"e o) murer' That is not 9usti$e' ;ur state legislature has long re$ogni=e that some
ty"es o) murers are o) su$h a nature that li)e #ithout "arole is inae%uate'G The arti$le goes on
to is$uss the 2004 $ase 6there are $urrently t#o8 #here an inmate #ho is alreay serving a
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"rison senten$e )or the most serious $rimes, $ommits a murer 6Denver Post8' >a"ital
"unishment ma&es its "la$e !y serving as the ultimate "unishment'
Tony Meina, an inmate on Death Ro# in Te.as es$ri!es it as Fa mental !attleG' Ee
tal&s a!out the irty $ells an sho#ers, the )oo #hi$h the guars #oul not even )ee to their
ogs' Ee says the #hole e."erien$e as a test on your sanity 6Meina8' So #hen you $onsier the
a#)ul $onitions in #hi$h these "risoners live their li)e, o you $all to a!olish the eath "enalty,
or are you in )avor o) these $riminals getting their ueC When "resente in su$h a !la$& an
#hite manner, the %uestion has too many varia!les' The num!ers on:t lie that the homi$ie rate
ro"s #hen more e.e$utions are !eing $arrie out, !ut again there are other )a$tors that $oul !e
in)luen$ing those num!ers' The $ost o) a eath ro# inmate is rasti$ally more than housing a
"risoner )or li)e, !ut shoul not 9usti$e !e a !igger "riority than the $ostC While there is some
error in the 9usti$e system an it is "ossi!le )or an inno$ent "erson to !e $onvi$te to eath ro#'
*s it any less o) a "unishment )or that "erson to !e in "rison )or li)eC
Even on$e all the in)ormation an num!ers are gathere, one is )or$e !a$& to the same
"la$e that the argument !eganJ *s &illing #rong or is &illing sometimes rightC That %uestion $an
only !e e$ie !y an iniviual' ?n)ortunately, the la# ma&ers have that #eighte e$ision an
$an only see& the o"inions o) those they re"resent an o their !est'
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Wor&s >ite
K- Matter ;) Bi)e -n DeathL The E))e$t ;) Bi)e, Without,Parole Statutes ;n >a"ital
Punishment'K Harvard Law Review 111'< 6200<8L 15@5,1534' Business Source Premier'
We!' 22 Mar' 2014'
+arr, /lenn' FThe >ost o) Bi)e Without Parole'G Mountain News. n.p. Thursday, March 24, 2!!.
F>riminal 7usti$e an 7ui$iaryG' Begislative -nalyst:s ;))i$e' n'"' n''
(urman v' /eorgia' 405 ?'S' 2@5' Su"reme >ourt o) the ?S, 1122' 7ustia ?S Su"reme >ourt'
n'' < -"ril 2014'
/er!er, Ruol"h 7', an 7ohn M' 7ohnson' The To" Ten Death Penalty Myths L The Politi$s ;)
>rime >ontrol' West"ort, >onnL Praeger, 2002' e+oo& >olle$tion' We!' 22 Mar' 2014'
/regg V' /eorgia' 425 ?'S' 13@' Su"reme >ourt o) the ?S, 112<' 7ustia ?S Su"reme >ourt' n''
< -"ril 2014'
7ones, 7e))rey M' K?'S' Death Penalty Su""ort Bo#est *n More Than 40 Mears'K /allu" Poll
+rie)ing 6201@8L 2' +usiness Sour$e Premier' We!' 2 -"r' 2014'
KBi)e #ithout "arole isn:t al#ays ae%uate'K The Denver Post 6Denver, >;8 201@L /eneral
;ne(ile' We!' 22 Mar' 2014
Martin, Ro!ert 7' KKilling >a"ital Punishment *n 0e# 7erseyL The (irst State *n Moern Eistory
To Re"eal *ts Death Penalty Statute'K ?niversity ;) Toleo Ba# Revie# 41'@ 620108L
453,34@' Begal >olle$tion' We!' 22 Mar' 2014'
Meina, Tony' FBi)e on Death Ro#L -n *nmate:s Pers"e$tiveG' "ahoo #oices' n'"' -"ril 14, 2005'
0i$&s, Denver' K5 Sho$&ing (a$ts (rom The ->B?:s Re"ort ;n Bi)e Without Parole'K Time'>om
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6201@8L 1' +usiness Sour$e Premier' We!' 22 Mar' 2014
PETERSE0, 0*>E;B-SBM0>E, M;0-' KProse$utorial Dis$retion, Eien >osts, -n The
Death PenaltyL The >ase ;) Bos -ngeles >ounty'K 7ournal ;) >riminal Ba# H
>riminology 102'4 620128L 12@@' We!' 22 Mar' 2014'
S$ott, (orsyth' K>ommentaryL Bi)e Without Parole N >ruel -n ?nusual PunishmentC'K Daily
Re$or, The 6Ro$hester, 0M8 6n''8L Regional +usiness 0e#s' We!' 22 Mar' 2014'
Sun, -ngela -"ril' KKilling TimeK *n The Valley ;) The Shao# ;) DeathL Why Systemati$
Pree.e$ution Delays ;n Death Ro# -re >ruel -n ?nusual'K >olum!ia Ba# Revie#
11@'< 6201@8L 1353,1<@<' We!' 2 -"r' 2014'
?nite States' De"t' o) 7usti$e' (eeral +ureau o) *nvestigation' >rime in the ?nite States, !y
State, 201@' (eeral +ureau o) *nvestigation, 201@' We!' @0 Mar$h 2014