DNA Helps Free Inmate After 27 Years

[ztirffritz]

There was a piece on NPR this morning about similar cases in Dallas. Of 40 cases they have reviewed, 17 have been overturned because of the DNA evidence. Unfortunately, this is only happening in Dallas because they saved the DNA evidence. Other jurisdictions didn't save it, so no testing is possible. What is scary is that this is a nearly 43% failure rate on the justice system. That isn't a few cases here and there. That is a systemic failure. It is, or was, a broken system.

[vision63]

Mistakes are one thing. Deliberate is a whole other thing.

[M A V I C]

[quote ztirffritz]There was a piece on NPR this morning about similar cases in Dallas. Of 40 cases they have reviewed, 17 have been overturned because of the DNA evidence. Unfortunately, this is only happening in Dallas because they saved the DNA evidence. Other jurisdictions didn't save it, so no testing is possible. What is scary is that this is a nearly 43% failure rate on the justice system. That isn't a few cases here and there. That is a systemic failure. It is, or was, a broken system.
Right, but it's pretty much tied to Wade in this case. The system was failing during his era.

[mattkime]

the problem is that death penalty cases tend to distort the truth more than other cases because of the publicity.

i know someone that spent some time photographing death row inmates and facilities. he once gave a lecture to a bunch of law students and summed it up as a bad way to take out the trash. they weren't very satisfied with that but thats pretty common when high minded ideals measure up in the real world.

[ztirffritz]

Here's the NPR piece:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story...d=90172724

The audio segment is linked there too.

[Lux Interior]

[quote jdc][quote voodoopenguin][quote jdc]

totally agree, but, sorry, but im still for the DP, regardless of this
Absolutely, think of the money that could have been saved if these people hadn't been locked up all that time. 2000 volts straight after the trial would have been so much better.
sorry, but i know you are smart enough to know its not as black and white as that...
Isn't that exactly the problem? That it isn't black & white? If we are going to kill people in the name of the law, don't we need absolutes (which we can never have)?

[jdc]

now you went and got the lawyers involved! dooomed!!

[RAMd®d]

sorry, but i know you are smart enough to know its not as black and white as that...

Absolutely.

As Paul said, no system is perfect. And there is no doubt in my mind that there are instances where the death penalty is absolutely appropriate.

If we are going to kill people in the name of the law, don't we need absolutes (which we can never have)?

There *are* capital punishment cases that are black and white, clear cut, even though the concept cannot be.

One absolute that does not exist-- "life without possibility of parole". If it did, I *might* rethink my position on capital punishment.

[JoeH]

But that absolute does exist in many states. Life sentence without parole is quite common.

[davester]

The death sentence has no purpose other than to feed the "eye for an eye" desire for revenge. It's been proven not to deter violent crime (e.g. http://cjr.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/18/2/165 ). Rather, some studies have found a slight reverse trend (death sentence correlates with increased violent crime) , which some have attributed to the tacit approval by the state of homicide (i.e. state execution) as a valid means of solving problems.

Personally, I think many of those convicted deserve to die. However, given that killing them has no positive societal effect, and the known fact that a large fraction of those on death row have been later found innocent (and many still on death row may be innocent but the states have thrown away the DNA evidence), it is unconscionable to continue executions.