From: jerryp@key.COM (J. R. Pendleton)
Newsgroups: ca.politics
Subject: Re: Death Penalty in California :-(
Summary: The only just punishment...
Date: 15 Apr 92 00:38:29 GMT
Distribution: ca
Organization: Employer not involved in this.


I usually don't post to this group since the hysteria-flame factor
seems to be high, but this seems to be a legitimate call for
discussion on a topic.....

I'll bite.

I support the death penalty.  I think we`ve done a good job in
California with our "special circumstances" rule, and allowing 
community outrage (via the jury) to set the punishment.

First I'd like to rebut the four goals set out in the previous
post.

   1.)  Deterrence - While I agree that the gas chamber will
        not often keep a whacko from committing a crime, I
        believe that there is some deterrent value.  Perhaps
        it makes that lifer convict, think a little bit before
        sticking his shiv into a fellow convict or a guard.
        If they have something to lose, maybe they'll be a
        little easier to control.  Remember that Death Row
        inmates get special handling.

        I will concede that most criminals never believe they'll 
	be caught.  So the fear of the gas chamber isn't there.

   2.)  Rehabilitation - Does life in the slam rehabilitate them?
        I don't think so.  Does the gas chamber?  If you consider
        that rehabilitation means preventing recidivism, the
        gas chamber is remarkable efffective: (go ahead, roll your
        eyes)  There has never been a case, in recorded history,
        of a executed convict committing any crimes.

   3.)  Protection of Society - Oh yes.  Once again, executed
        criminals do not commit crimes.  This, my mind, is one 
        of the big selling feature on Capitol punishment.  Remember
        that life imprisonment means that the convict gets to 
        co-mingle with lots of people up the river for lesser
        crimes.  And there is always the guards who haven't com-
        mitted any crime.  Mad dogs imperil this segment of
        society.  

        Even today Life Without Possibilty of Parole does not mean
        Life without possibility of parole.  I'm reminded of the
        case of Winnie Ruth Judd, who shipped some people in a
        steamer trunk in the 30s.  She escaped custody in the 50s
        and was not recaptured until the 70s, when they found her
        working as a live-in domestic in Los Angeles.  You can't
        predict the political climate over the 40+ years you can
        expect a convict to live.  Lack of parole does not preclude
        medium/minimum security (which isn't too bad relatively 
        speaking) or work-release.  Escape isn't the only way they
        get out...

        I really feel if there was some permanent exile where we
        could irrevokably send people (dark side of the moon,
        the Phantom Zone, what have you) the death penalty would
        be obsolete.  Unfortunatly for now, the only permanent 
        exile is death.

    4.) Revenge.  Yep.  I make no bones about it.  If mad-dog wipes
        out my family, I want mad-dog wiped out.  Special Circumstances
        in California doesn't just mean murder, it means particularly
        hideous murder.  For lessor crimes, we don't send people to
        prison to teach them to be better citizens - we are exacting
        the revenge of violating societys norms.

        (One I think you forgot)
    5.) Justice - A nebulous concept.  I remember a Talk Show that
        had a gentleman on who had been sentenced to die prior to the 
        Supreme Court decision that invalidated Californias Death
        Penalty law.  He had been commuted to life, paroled, married
        was working a respectable job, had a nice house and most
        people would consider him rehabilitated.  They also had someone
        on who had survived this mans murderous rampage.  That person
        had been a college student.  In the rampage, he suffered serious
        brain damage and was paralyzed.  At the time of the interview
        the victim was living on public assistance, was in constant pain
        and unable to work.  Was Justice served there?  I think not.
        I turned off the boob-tube wishing that some public spirited
        lawyer (I am naive enough to believe those exist) would sue
        that convict, take his house, his car, his wife and force the
        convict to take care of his victim.  Perhaps some modicum of
        justice would then be served.  Full justice will never be
        served.  


I am disgusted by the Mercury News and Editorial espousing fetal alcohol
syndrome, and parental abuses as excuses for Mr. Harris.  I totally disagree
with that, and most, environment-mental health-victim of society type excuses.

Did Mr. Harris know his actions were wrong? - Yes.

Did Mr. Harris know that his action could possibly cost him his life? - Yes.

In my book, he is guilty and sane.  He is dangerous: He had served time
previously for murder.  He is guilty of special circumstances due to the method
of killing used.
 
<conclusion - some emotion allowed>
Come April 21, Harris will have exausted every possible appeal.  His case
will have been examined by the finest minds in the country.  His rights
will have been protected.  He is being executed under a statute that was
passed with one of the larger majorities in the state election history.

That will be little comfort to him, as his life is fleeing, or the others
one floor above him.  But its a big comfort to me.  I agree with you that it
is sad -- Only I believe its necessary.






time before for murder.  He is co
  
Newsgroups: ca.politics