A more detailed version of that analysis may be completed by the time McVeigh is put to death, Justice officials said. But Ashcroft said yesterday the evidence has not convinced him of the need for a systemwide moratorium. President Bush, who presided over 152 executions as Texas governor, has also said he opposes a moratorium. I see no reason why you shouldn't impose the death penalty on Mr. McVeigh because there might be some debate about the penalty generally. Nearly 20 other states are considering similar moves, and a coalition of religious and political leaders from the right and left has called on the federal government to follow suit.
Polls show continued public support for the death penalty.
Ashcroft's strong opposition to a moratorium is a blow to the anti-death penalty movement, which is struggling to raise public awareness about racial and economic disparities and some defendants' access to competent counsel. It's not about one case. It's about a system that unfairly picks who lives and who dies. News Jobs AP Shopping Archives Entertain.