Instead, the focus in Texas remains on volume. Recent reprieves and pardons, undoubtedly in response to the growing attention on Texas' capital punishment system, granted by Governor Bush recognize, if not admit, the potential for error in the system. A temporary moratorium would do nothing more than provide the justice system the opportunity to step into 21st Century forensic science. In a recent case, Governor Bush granted a stay of execution for this express purpose. DNA evidence later confirmed that the death row inmate was, indeed, guilty.
Punishment is only fair if it is imposed on the guilty.
The victim's family gains some sense of justice with the knowledge that the right person received the ultimate punishment any legal system can impose. In other cases, DNA testing has established the convicts innocence sometimes after years and years in prison. We need for the sake of justice to review every case so we can have the confidence we must when we execute a prisoner. Until scientific methods can be utilized on a consistent basis to establish the accuracy of the capital punishment sentence, the American public will always have questions. The arguments for reviewing the capital punishment system are compelling.