Death Penalty
I have tried 4 capital murder trials as a prosecutor. Two of them I sought the death penalty (DAs can elect to waive the death penalty and seek only life in prison). I have stood in front of 12 jurors and ask them to sentence a man to death. Both of these men are on death row. The decision to seek the death penalty in each case was the most difficult decision I have ever made. I believe in it but don't like making the decision.
Obtaining a death sentence is not all that cut and dried. First, only certain homocides qualify. In Texas a jury must find the the killer intended to kill the victim as opposed to wanting to hurt him real bad. Even if the jury finds the fucker guilty they must answer two questions. These are (paraphrased) 1) Is it probable that the dude will commit furhther act of violence in the future so as to be a continuing threat to society, and 2) is there sufficient mitigating evidence that would warrant the defendant being sentenced to life instead of death. A jury must find beyond any reasonable that the answer to 1 is yes and then find beyond any reasonable doubt that the answer to 2 is NO. Again, this after the jury has found that the defendant intentionally killed another person. Only then is the death sentence imposed.
as for all of this shit about innocent people being executed, there is NOT ONE DOCUMENTED CASE WHERE IT HAS BEEN SHOWN THAT A INNOCENT MAN HAS BEEN EXECUTED SINCE THE MODERN DEATH PENALTY HAS BEEN EFFECT.
Ther are simply some bad mother fuckers out there that don't deserve to live. Some of them are 17.
hasta
litig8r
I have tried 4 capital murder trials as a prosecutor. Two of them I sought the death penalty (DAs can elect to waive the death penalty and seek only life in prison). I have stood in front of 12 jurors and ask them to sentence a man to death. Both of these men are on death row. The decision to seek the death penalty in each case was the most difficult decision I have ever made. I believe in it but don't like making the decision.
Obtaining a death sentence is not all that cut and dried. First, only certain homocides qualify. In Texas a jury must find the the killer intended to kill the victim as opposed to wanting to hurt him real bad. Even if the jury finds the fucker guilty they must answer two questions. These are (paraphrased) 1) Is it probable that the dude will commit furhther act of violence in the future so as to be a continuing threat to society, and 2) is there sufficient mitigating evidence that would warrant the defendant being sentenced to life instead of death. A jury must find beyond any reasonable that the answer to 1 is yes and then find beyond any reasonable doubt that the answer to 2 is NO. Again, this after the jury has found that the defendant intentionally killed another person. Only then is the death sentence imposed.
as for all of this shit about innocent people being executed, there is NOT ONE DOCUMENTED CASE WHERE IT HAS BEEN SHOWN THAT A INNOCENT MAN HAS BEEN EXECUTED SINCE THE MODERN DEATH PENALTY HAS BEEN EFFECT.
Ther are simply some bad mother fuckers out there that don't deserve to live. Some of them are 17.
hasta
litig8r