That is a horrible tragedy; and a failure of our justice system. Why in hell this man would be paroled is beyond me. Why his sentence would be commuted to life with the possibility of parole from the death penalty is also a mystery. Doesn't that defy logic?
I am not saying that tragedies don't happen. What kind of fool would I be? I do believe that this sort of tragedy is so unbelievably rare that it should not be considered in the decision of whether to maintain the death penalty.
People who intentionally take another's life (without consent from the other) don't deserve a second chance. some people will never realize that what they've done is wrong, but most do. None of them should be given a second chance. Anyone who commits a crime deemed serious enough to be killed over should never be given a second chance. they should die in prison.
In Washington there are laws on the books that enable the state to hold sex-offenders indefinitely, and they were just tested and found constitutional in court in the last several months. (I don't know very well what I'm talking about now, but at least the basic idea of what I just said is true.) This is a blow to civil liberty advocates, but I think it is justified. If the people in our prisons can't be trusted outside of prison, then they shouldn't be let free.
I suppose the over-crowding in the prisons was a result of drug peddlers and third strikers? Do you have a third strike law in Texas? These laws, in my humble opinion, are among the worst ever passed.
Most states have had habitual offender laws on the books for years, although not nearly as sensationalized as California. Here in Texas, if you commit certain felonies and have two prior felony convictions (not meaning probations, etc.--meaning that you have actually GONE to prison twice) then your punishment range is from 25-99 years. I think the problem with California's law (if I remember correctly) was that it calls for mandatory life, no? I also think that's unfair. There are some situations that just don't merit that. As for what causes the overcrowding, I don't know. What I can tell you though is that I usually see a drug defendant 8-12 times, 5-6 rehabs later before prison even becomes an option I'd consider. (I'm talking felony offenses, not little misdemeanor shit.) Very few make it to that point...they usually die (o.d. or drug-related violence) before they get there. Before 1994 the drug laws in Texas were, to say the least, draconian. It is different now, and there are plenty of other options available other than prison. That's not saying that if a person gets to a certain point in the system that they won't eventually go to prison--they will. But it happens far less frequently than before.
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From:
Re: Food For Thought
I am not saying that tragedies don't happen. What kind of fool would I be? I do believe that this sort of tragedy is so unbelievably rare that it should not be considered in the decision of whether to maintain the death penalty.
People who intentionally take another's life (without consent from the other) don't deserve a second chance. some people will never realize that what they've done is wrong, but most do. None of them should be given a second chance. Anyone who commits a crime deemed serious enough to be killed over should never be given a second chance. they should die in prison.
In Washington there are laws on the books that enable the state to hold sex-offenders indefinitely, and they were just tested and found constitutional in court in the last several months. (I don't know very well what I'm talking about now, but at least the basic idea of what I just said is true.) This is a blow to civil liberty advocates, but I think it is justified. If the people in our prisons can't be trusted outside of prison, then they shouldn't be let free.
I suppose the over-crowding in the prisons was a result of drug peddlers and third strikers? Do you have a third strike law in Texas? These laws, in my humble opinion, are among the worst ever passed.
From:
Re: Food For Thought