Murderers would be quietly and safely put away for life with absolutely no possibility for parole. The death penalty violates constitutional prohibitions against cruel and unusual punishment. The death penalty is often used for political gain. During his presidential gain, President Clinton rushed home for the Arkansas execution of Rickey Ray Rector, a mentally retarded, indigent black man. Political Analysts believe that when the death penalty becomes an issue in a campaign, the candidate favoring capital punishment almost inevitably will benefit.
Capital punishment discriminates against the poor.
The application of capital punishment is racist. In cases with white victims, black defendants were four to six times more likely to receive death sentences than white defendants who had similar criminal histories. In the criminal justice system, the life of a white person is worth more than the life of a black person. The mentally retarded are victimized by the death penalty. Since 1989, when the Supreme Court upheld killing of the mentally retarded, at least four such executions have occurred.