Seeking the death penalty is a matter of prosecutorial discretion. 0.J. is a star, dadgummit, and nobody likes to see American heroes executed. And if Susan Smith had murdered almost anyone but her own children, she probably would not. Blacks and Latinos form a solid majority of our national prison population. They are convicted more frequently and sentenced for longer terms than their white counterparts.
Blacks end up on death row in numbers vast ly disproportionate to whites who commit the same crimes.
These are not times for easy prescriptions, but when the executives of Entertainment Tonight are this exuberant, one has to wonder if Justice hasn't been just a wee bit seduced by the thrill of the hunt. All rights reserved. Unauthorized redistribution is prohibited. Please attach this notice in its entirety when copying or redistributing material from The Nation . The Nation encourages activists and friends of the magazine to share our articles with others.