Seriously? The fact that Yarris, and others, have been exonerated shows that it’s possible to convict innocent people. Do you honestly believe that all innocents that have been convicted were all exonerated before execution? Do you honestly believe that there were no cases like Yarris’ before the invention of DNA identification technology? Do you honestly believe that DNA evidence is even relevant in every murder case?
Do you believe that the child who was the subject of the OP actually was guilty?
You said it can’t happen. I don’t need to show that it has happened (though it probably has) to believe that it can happen. Cite that it is impossible for this to occur?
Here’s a case where a man was executed in 2004 for three murders in 1991. It now appears that there were no murders at all. Accidental deaths were misinterpreted as murders. Does this constitute a sufficiently recent enough case where an innocent man was executed to answer your question?:
It is for me, because, despite not believing that the death penalty is a deterrent, I have no theoretical issue with executing a murderer (depending on circumstances).
The idea that it can’t happen today requires a childlike faith in the impartiality of the judge, the integrity of the prosecutor, the competence of the defense attorney, and the lack of prejudice on the part of the jury. Maybe if they all were to arrive to court riding purple unicorns that fart lollipops and sugarplums, that faith would be justified. In the real world, not so much.
I believe DNA is the reason we don’t execute innocent people anymore, and that in the absence of DNA evidence, incontrovertible proof, or a confession, the death penalty should not be applied.
Probably not, but a wrongful execution under a corrupt regime almost a hundred years ago does not make the death penalty today unjust.
Willingham was undeniably guilty, as evidenced by his confessing to the crime to multiple people on multiple occasions, so no, it doesn’t answer my question.
DNA evidence is not perfect. DNA samples can be at a crime scene for trivial reasons. The absence of DNA doesn’t mean someone is innocent. Samples get stored incorrectly and often times not tested. Chain of custody issues can lead to it bring excluded. Even now judges have blocked DNA evidence in appeals despite its potential to exonerate.
Confessions can be, and have shown to be, coerced. Eye witnesses are often incorrect.
The justice system is comprised of faulty, normal human beings. It will never be perfect.
It was believed the justice system was just then. What will we know in 10 years that will give doubt to today’s system?
Please note that, as in the case I started this thread with, family members of victims will actively and vigorously fight investigations of possible injustice not because they think there is such a preponderance of evidence that an investigation doesn’t seem justified, but because they want to leave the past in the past-they want “closure”. The courts have given them someone to punish, and they want to get on with their lives. There is also the possibility that they, and the authorities, are afraid of the guilt they would feel from locking up and/or executing the wrong person-if a mistake is never found out, it is almost as if it never happened at all. It takes herculean effort to look into these cases because of the active opposition every step of the way.
So 7 of 9 witnesses recanted their testimony, a former FBI director speaks out against the execution along with the pope and a president. Of course, next to Smapti, these guys are all chopped liver.
Could you please cite those numerous and very recent cases in which we know that innocent people were executed?
That is, I would like cites that
[ul][li]the cases were “numerous” - I would say more than 10, but am open to some lesser number providing more than two or three[/li][li]the cases were 'very recent" - let’s say in the last decade[/li][li]that the people were factually innocent, and that we “know” this[/li][li]that they were executed.[/ul][/li]I am assuming you mean in the US.
So, ten cases in the last decade in which we know for certain that those who were executed were innocent.
Please note that not being executed is different from being executed.
