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And because his trial was so public, our entire society is still convinced to this day that he is guilty.
Yes, that happens a lot I think. I think few people know Lizzie Borden was acquitted. Not sure if young people still know the poem that begins "Lizzie Border took an ax...." but I felt bad for her when I found out as an adult that she was found not guilty but society never exonerated her.
It always makes me wonder why people sit so long on death row...26 years? Why bother executing someone for something they did when they were 18? If someone is going to be executed it should happen within a few a years
Also i noticed an article below refers to the man as 'disabled'. I don't work with disabled people nor am i a mental health professional but regardless of his disability he seems like a bad guy. Perhaps he had a low IQ or learning/mental issues that should have been addressed but plenty of people with those issues dont shoot people and then go to a party to brag about it. If anything people that DO have those issues wouldnt be capable of getting a gun, having friends to go to parties with or even have the mental capacity to think of killing someone. I feel like calling him 'disabled' was perhaps the wrong word to use.
He's considered disabled because his IQ is in the 60's & anything less than 75 is considered "intellectually disabled", formerly known as "mentally retarded".
This is my problem with it. It seems to be applied very randomly, and too often money or standing in society has more to do with who does/doesn't get death penalty than the actual crime.
The best way to avoid the death penalty is to have money. Defendants without money get a poorly aid public defender or an appointed attorney, and not very much in investigation funding for the defense.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Submariner
It seems to me that we often hear of evidence that is uncovered a decade later that proves the convicted person is innocent.
Consider the Loyd Jowers Trial.
Rev. MLK Jr was shot, immediately the cops caught a guy they said did it. A quick kangaroo trial later and James Earl Ray was convicted. But it took 25 years for the real guilty parties to finally be convicted at trial.
In the mean time ask anyone you know 'Who killed MLK?" They will likely tell you James Earl Ray did it. Even though now we know better.
No, we do not know better. Jowers was not convicted of anything. The King family received $100 in damages in a civil trial widely considered to be a farce.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vector1
How much do you want to bet that most, if not all would prefer that to being executed within a year or so?
I have no issue with thorough examination of death penalty cases to insure as best as possible no innocent person is put to death.
However it didn't take 26 years to figure out his guilt or innocence.
The legal system has been perverted by greedy lawyers who use this among other things to delay justice and make themselves wealthy in the mean time.
There are not really any rich death penalty lawyers. Most of the death row defendat appeals are handled by non-profit organizations.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Submariner
In the case of James Earl Ray, it did.
And because his trial was so public, our entire society is still convinced to this day that he is guilty.
I'm convinced Ray was guilty as charged. There is no evidence to prove anything to the contrary.
He's considered disabled because his IQ is in the 60's & anything less than 75 is considered "intellectually disabled", formerly known as "mentally retarded".
Wow that’s really low! This man was definitely disabled.
I am shocked that they executed anyone with that low of a IQ. When I was working 70 was the cutoff to be diagnosed with ID/MR.
Shocked? Not me. I remember in 1992 when Bill Clinton, in the midst of a Presidential campaign and not wanting to be tarred as a weenie liberal and wanting to change the subject from the Gennifer Flowers scandal, flew home to Arkansas to sign the death warrant of a "disabled" murderer (who also happened to be black).
In the Clinton case though, the guy only became "disabled" after a suicide attempt that occurred after his two murders.
I don't know if there is a political angle for this 70 IQ guy in Alabama to be executed, but they say he read at a first grade level. Even a first grader knows murder is wrong, and everyone with a 70 IQ does not go around killing people.
Sometimes I am shocked when people don't get the death penalty or receive clemency when they clearly deserve the death penalty.
Shocked? Not me. I remember in 1992 when Bill Clinton, in the midst of a Presidential campaign and not wanting to be tarred as a weenie liberal and wanting to change the subject from the Gennifer Flowers scandal, flew home to Arkansas to sign the death warrant of a "disabled" murderer (who also happened to be black).
In the Clinton case though, the guy only became "disabled" after a suicide attempt that occurred after his two murders.
I don't know if there is a political angle for this 70 IQ guy in Alabama to be executed, but they say he read at a first grade level. Even a first grader knows murder is wrong, and everyone with a 70 IQ does not go around killing people.
Sometimes I am shocked when people don't get the death penalty or receive clemency when they clearly deserve the death penalty.
This! If it was equal across the board, ok, but it's not. Minorities and the poor are sent to the chair far more often.
Do you have link to support this? The "poor" is an odd parameter to mention, not too many millionaires commit "death row" crimes. Sure a rich dentist might kill his wife but overall capital crimes aren't usually in the wheelhouse of the wealthy.
Is there a correlation to the demographics of that area? Texas, Florida and Georgia have the highest population of African Americans. So in theory they would have the highest amount of black inmates on death row compared to a state like South Dakota.
This link shows whites are the highest rate of death row inmates:
Do you have link to support this? The "poor" is an odd parameter to mention, not too many millionaires commit "death row" crimes. Sure a rich dentist might kill his wife but overall capital crimes aren't usually in the wheelhouse of the wealthy.
Is there a correlation to the demographics of that area? Texas, Florida and Georgia have the highest population of African Americans. So in theory they would have the highest amount of black inmates on death row compared to a state like South Dakota.
This link shows whites are the highest rate of death row inmates:
And currently Florida has more whites on death row than blacks (183 VS 128)
Non-Hispanic Whites make up 53% of the Florida population. Blacks are 17%. Blacks seem to be over represented on Florida death row.
Non-Hispanic Whites are 60% of US population, Blacks are 13.5%. Again, over all death row demographics show over representation of Blacks.
That's true for all the states - Blacks are over represented on death row.
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