# Executed man found innocent. Just wonderful. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 22, 2005, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/executed-man-found-innocent-just-wonderful/332310 "2005-11-22T20:04:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2005, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/executed-man-found-innocent-just-wonderful/332310/161 "2005-11-23T20:31:00Z")
I’m against the Death Penalty for much the same reason as others here; if the judgement is wrong, there’s no taking it back or compensation. People for it seem to be to me because of two things; 1. It is only justice; death is the worst possible punishment, and these people deserve that punishment. 2. A dead person cannot commit more offences. 3. It’s a good deterrent. I’d like to propose an alternative; instead of death, how about years of horrible, agonising torture? I’m not talking along the lines of limbs being cut off, or burning, nothing permanent (except mentally wise). Pointed spikes, electricity, starvation rations, cells the size of a broom cupboard, etc. I’m pretty sure this would be as “bad” a punishment as death would be. And if you keep them locked up there forever, they can’t commit more offenses. It could be judged they deserve, say, ten years of torture, and then the rest of their life in prison as currently. Seems to me that it’d be as big a deterrent, too. And on the up side, if you’re wrong, you can always go back - compensation in the millions can be paid, psychiatric bills can be paid, etc. Sure, it wouldn’t be a perfect system; innocent people are going to be tortured horribly. But it’s better than the more permanent solution. ---
**Author:** ![Nocturne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9fc348/32.png) [@Nocturne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nocturne)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2005, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/executed-man-found-innocent-just-wonderful/332310/162 "2005-11-23T20:36:42Z")
> [@Revenant Threshold](#): > > I’d like to propose an alternative; instead of death, how about years of horrible, agonising torture? I’m not talking along the lines of limbs being cut off, or burning, nothing permanent (except mentally wise). Pointed spikes, electricity, starvation rations, cells the size of a broom cupboard, etc. I’m pretty sure this would be as “bad” a punishment as death would be. And if you keep them locked up there forever, they can’t commit more offenses. It could be judged they deserve, say, ten years of torture, and then the rest of their life in prison as currently. Seems to me that it’d be as big a deterrent, too. And on the up side, if you’re wrong, you can always go back - compensation in the millions can be paid, psychiatric bills can be paid, etc. Sure, it wouldn’t be a perfect system; innocent people are going to be tortured horribly. But it’s better than the more permanent solution. This would be a very bad idea, on several grounds. Let’s take your hypothetical guy who gets 10 years worth of “torture.” The things you’ve listed are enough to make just about anyone snap mentally. The minute this guy snaps mentally, anyone who comes into contact with him is in danger, even if he’s supposedly “subdued.” I’ve seen people who were restrained with handcuffs go absolutely nuts and still badly injure whoever was escorting them. It also sets a really disturbing precedent. There aren’t many countries who have legalized torture for prisoners. Do you really want to be on the list of countries who do? I doubt it would be a deterrent anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Nocturne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9fc348/32.png) [@Nocturne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nocturne)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2005, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/executed-man-found-innocent-just-wonderful/332310/163 "2005-11-23T20:41:03Z")
> [@Revenant Threshold](#): > > I’d like to propose an alternative; instead of death, how about years of horrible, agonising torture? I’m not talking along the lines of limbs being cut off, or burning, nothing permanent (except mentally wise). Pointed spikes, electricity, starvation rations, cells the size of a broom cupboard, etc. I’m pretty sure this would be as “bad” a punishment as death would be. And if you keep them locked up there forever, they can’t commit more offenses. It could be judged they deserve, say, ten years of torture, and then the rest of their life in prison as currently. Seems to me that it’d be as big a deterrent, too. And on the up side, if you’re wrong, you can always go back - compensation in the millions can be paid, psychiatric bills can be paid, etc. Sure, it wouldn’t be a perfect system; innocent people are going to be tortured horribly. But it’s better than the more permanent solution. I also meant to say that if you torture an innocent person with the methods you’re discussing, you will wreck them mentally for life. Electricity, starvation rations, and pointed spikes could also conceivably wreck them for life as well. Prolonged starvation ruins one’s metabolism, one’s gastrointestinal system, and can affect other systems in the body as well. Prolonged exposure to electricity can be bad news for a cardiovascular and neural system, depending on frequency of electric shock. And poking with pointed spikes? Hello scar tissue. Even if it’s only a scratch, doing it over and over again will cause lots of scar tissue. You think it’s okay to break down someone mentally and possibly physically when there’s a chance they might be innocent? I’m sorry, but that’s more than a little nuts. ---
**Author:** ![Ink\_a\_dink\_a\_dink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ec9cab/32.png) [@Ink\_a\_dink\_a\_dink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ink_a_dink_a_dink)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2005, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/executed-man-found-innocent-just-wonderful/332310/164 "2005-11-23T20:57:24Z")
> [@Mr. Moto](#): > > I did say he shouldn’t have been killed, didn’t I? So this is a strawman, and it is you who are employing dishonest rhetoric. > > All I am saying is that by building up obvious criminals to be innocent victims, death penalty opponents risk a tremendous credibility problem. The sad case of Steven Avery is instructive here - he was a poster boy for the “innocence project”. He was freed by DNA testing from a conviction of a rape he did not commit. However, that same technology linked him to a woman he likely raped and then crushed inside of her car at the family salvage yard. He has been charged, and the Wisconsin Innocence Project is desperately trying to distance themselves from him. > > [Linkety.](http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/23/national/23exonerate.html?ei=5090&en=542ee70a86b7c4ae&ex=1290402000&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=print) Point here - Wisconsin does not have the Death Penalty. Somthing which I was terribly proud of when I lived there. Now I am in California and pass San Quentin frequently, and know there are men there on death row. Frightens me. Regards, Inky. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2005, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/executed-man-found-innocent-just-wonderful/332310/165 "2005-11-23T21:44:51Z")
> [@Nocturne](#): > > You think it’s okay to break down someone mentally and possibly physically when there’s a chance they might be innocent? I’m sorry, but that’s more than a little nuts. I don’t think it’s ok; it would be an evil thing to do, and cruel. I’m saying it would be _better_ than the alternative of the death penalty. My own opinion is that no crimes are worth the death penalty, and as such no crimes would be worth the torture. All I mean is, if it was my job to decide whether criminals faced death or torture, and only those options, i’d go with the torture. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2005, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/executed-man-found-innocent-just-wonderful/332310/166 "2005-11-23T21:46:02Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > I don’t disagree with you, but given your earlier post about wanting the convicted to suffer, is this a valid complaint? It wasn’t a complaint, it was a correction. I have no problem with (non-lethal) vengence. I just don’t pretend it’s got anything to do with self-defense. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2005, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/executed-man-found-innocent-just-wonderful/332310/167 "2005-11-23T21:51:31Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > If you think that you were being the voice of calm and reason, you really need to reread your posts. You were being snotty and argumentative, not offering reasons you thought something might be the case. “What would be the fucking point?” is not the way most helpful posts start. Wow, you’re just determined to pick a fight with me! Keep putting words in my mouth, it’s kind of fun. I never claimed to be a “voice of calm and reason,” or that I was trying to be “helpful.” I was expressing an opinion of why a certain status existed at a certain time. Why is that so difficult for you to understand/accept? **Plnnr** ’s comment seemed argumentative to me, so you’re damn right that “what would be the fucking point” was argumentative in response. > [@](#): > > I replied, and you got even snottier. Really? You’re referring to post #63, because it’s the only time I posted between your reply and when you told me to just leave the thread if I don’t like it (I’ve posted all of 4 times in this thread, including this one) – what was so “snotty” about it? Do you mean the part where you said you wanted to know what pro-DP people think and I said you should start a GD thread? If so, you misunderstood what I meant: the whole time, I was talking about the chances of there being any kind of reasonable conversation on the topic – how they seemed pretty much nonexistent, so I wasn’t surprised that a lot of folks weren’t willing to jump in. My “start a GD thread” response meant “if you _really_ want to know what people think, start a GD thread because there isn’t going to be much respect for opposing opinions in this one.” Maybe I wasn’t good enough at making that point (even though right above that line I’d written, “_Start a GD or IMHO thread about it, and that’s a different story. But I’d wager that most pro-death-penalty folks aren’t stupid enough to jump into this Pit thread and try to ‘defend’ anything_”), but thanks ever so much for giving me the chance to explain before dismissing me entirely. (Now _that_ was snotty.) > [@](#): > > And, as you will notice, there is a debate here _Now_ there is (though it is neither reasonable nor calm, which were the points I was making all along), but at the time I made the comment to **plnnr** there was not. I said something when this thread was less than a page long (and followed up when it was at 1.2 pages), and trying to act as though I just said it – well into the 4th page, when things have obviously changed – is what strikes _me_ as snotty and argumentative. Seriously, did I harm a member of your family or something without realizing it? I don’t recall ever having an issue with you, so I don’t understand where all of this vitriol is coming from… ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2005, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/executed-man-found-innocent-just-wonderful/332310/168 "2005-11-23T22:55:40Z")
> [@Nocturne](#): > > You think it’s okay to break down someone mentally and possibly physically when there’s a chance they might be innocent? I’m sorry, but that’s more than a little nuts. And we are right back to what **Elvis** pointed out, and what I asked **Dio** to clarify: If you are innocent, yet found guilty and sentenced to life in prison, is this still not torture? Year after year of nothing but wondering how your life would have been, should have been. At least if you _are_ guilty, you would know in your heart you were there for a reason. If you are not guilty, this would surely have some sort of lasting impact on your mental health. The most pressing problem is to make certain innocent people are never sentenced, but stop killing ones who might be innocent in the meantime. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2005, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/executed-man-found-innocent-just-wonderful/332310/169 "2005-11-23T23:00:48Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > The death penalty is barbaric. It’s inhumane. It’s ugly. > > And if those aren’t enough reasons to stop: it’s unreliable. Hear, hear! The question is, when might the political momentum in this country swing toward abolishing the death penalty? ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2005, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/executed-man-found-innocent-just-wonderful/332310/170 "2005-11-23T23:22:59Z")
> [@Mr. Moto](#): > > Well, there is a lot of that going around, isn’t there? > > The thread title calls Cantu an innocant man, when he was far from an innocent. Cantu was a car thief, gang member and was seriously involved with drugs. No choir boy, he. > > The best that can be said about him is that he wasn’t guilty of this particular crime. > > Now, I certainly don’t think the man should have been killed for a crime he didn’t commit. But it is disingenuous to call him innocent. Sadly, this is the sort of dishonest rhetoric we get from anti-death penalty activists all of the time. If you read the text of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals opinion dealing with Cantu’s case, you’ll see that nowhere in it does it mention that the appellant was a car thief, or a gang member, or involved with drugs, or was alleged to have once shot a police officer. There’s a very good reason for that; it’s inadmissable, because it is wholly irrelevant. Mentioning his alleged involvement in other crimes would have been completely improper, and if a prosecutor had done so, it would have been grounds for reversal. We don’t put people in jail or to death for being criminals in general, we do it for committing the individual crimes for which they are charged. We don’t want juries punishing people because of other crimes they have committed, we want them to focus on whether _this_ particular defendent committed _this_ particular crime. For that reason the rules of evidence don’t even allow mention of other crimes in front of the jury, except for certain limited instances such as when they defendent testifies and it may be relevant as to his truthfullness. If Cantu was indeed put to death for a crime that he had no involvement in, it is not disingenious to say that an innocent man was put to death. It is 100% correct to say that an innocent man was put to death. The notion that it’s really not that bad a deal or that we shouldn’t shed a tear because Cantu was a bad person who had committed other crimes is an extremely dangerous one that we absoultely, unequvocably must reject as a society bound by the rule of law. Justice is not only due to the good; bad people deserve justice applied equally, and “he deserved it anyway” is something we should never, ever catch ourselves saying. > [@Dob](#): > > Dob I hate to see any innocent person killed, but come on here…everyone seems to be taking the word of an admited liar who took 13 years to come clean. The guy may be innocent, but I wouldnt take Juan Moreno’s word on that. > > I want to see a bit more detail here. Lets see the court records, the interrogation records, anything besides this asshats (and I call any person who would fasly convict someone to the DP, then wait 13 yrs to admit he lied, a asshat) word. > > It is funny, in a sad way, how without any real shred of evidence (at least not in the article) everyone jumps over the DA and the Police for “forcing” a conviction, and an abuse of power. Lawyers call this game “are you lying then, or are you lying now?” Occassionally someone on the witness stand will tell a story diametrically opposed to the one they originally told police. A good lawyer will eat this person alive, because they are admitting to being liars, yet at the same time insisting they should now be believed. Regardless of when they were actually telling the truth, their credibility is completely destroyed. Moreno’s identification and testimony were the sole evidence that sent a man to death in a capital murder case, and now by his own testimony he is a liar. Whether he lied then or he’s lying now, the word of a man who admits to lying in capital murder cases sent a man to the death chamber. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2005, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/executed-man-found-innocent-just-wonderful/332310/171 "2005-11-23T23:25:47Z")
> [@Misnomer](#): > > My “start a GD thread” response meant “if you _really_ want to know what people think, start a GD thread because there isn’t going to be much respect for opposing opinions in this one.” Maybe I wasn’t good enough at making that point (even though right above that line I’d written, “_Start a GD or IMHO thread about it, and that’s a different story. But I’d wager that most pro-death-penalty folks aren’t stupid enough to jump into this Pit thread and try to ‘defend’ anything_”), but thanks ever so much for giving me the chance to explain before dismissing me entirely. Then I apologize for misreading you. If I had thought you would be willing to explain, I would have asked. I’ve found some of the best discussions on the Dope happen in the Pit, not in GD. > [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > It wasn’t a complaint, it was a correction. I have no problem with (non-lethal) vengence. I just don’t pretend it’s got anything to do with self-defense. Gotcha. I don’t agree with your stance, but I understand your comment now. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2005, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/executed-man-found-innocent-just-wonderful/332310/172 "2005-11-24T00:41:58Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > You haven’t been paying attention, have you? The pile-on is \*not \* for his/their support of DP, but for confidence that errors either can’t be made at all or are so rare as to be discountable. It has nothing to do with liberalism and everything to do with realism. > That only enters into the reasoning process if you think you might get caught. Does that possibility really occur to many criminals? Is the nature of the penalty for a crime a deterrent to someone who is confident they’ll get away with it anyway? It could be looked at as “tying up loose ends”. You kill the victim, who may be the only person who can identify you, and then you are in the clear. No loose ends. Moto made a good point. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2005, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/executed-man-found-innocent-just-wonderful/332310/173 "2005-11-24T01:00:08Z")
**pravnik** , that reminds me of a passage from _The Fellowship of the Ring_, when Gandalf explains that Bilbo let Gollum live out of pity. > [@](#): > > Frodo: “I can’t understand you. Do you mean to say that you and the Elves, have let him live on after all those horrible deeds? Now at any rate he is as bad as an Orc, and just an enemy. He deserves death.” > > Gandalf: “Deserves it! I dare say he does. Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be so eager to deal out death in judgement. For even the very wise cannot see all ends.” That about sums it up for me. (And no, wiseasses, I’m not saying I base my opposition to the death penalty on the words of Tolkien. I’m just saying that quote was very apt.) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2005, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/executed-man-found-innocent-just-wonderful/332310/174 "2005-11-24T01:23:56Z")
I don’t like to say this, but I think somebody needs to. Two things about your story are very sad, **GusNSpot** : what happened to your family, and to a lesser extent, what it’s done to your thinking process here. You do not earn the right to have an opinion. Being a victim of the justice system doesn’t mean your opinion carries more weight and it doesn’t mean that “non-victims” don’t know what they’re talking about. I’m sure you’ll never believe that, but tough shit. I don’t need to see a family member murdered to have a valid opinion here. > [@](#): > > You all keep on about the DP and that is not the problem, it is the people who are running the system. The things you go on to say aren’t wrong, but the penalty itself is still the problem. If it wasn’t on the table, and it shouldn’t be, we wouldn’t have this issue. > [@](#): > > The cry of “Even one mistake is not worth it.” Do you really want to live where that is really enforced? Yes. > [@](#): > > So get the Supremes to decide that and then live or die with it. That’d suit me fine. > [@](#): > > Untested virtue is meaningless. Always will be. By your own admission, your ‘virtue’ has nothing to do with the death penalty, so I’m gonna say it’s meaningless. Sorry. You don’t get to have an opinion either. Most people never have their virtue tested on matters like this, fortunately. So it’s fortunate that we don’t allow people claiming victimhood to make those decisions for us. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2005, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/executed-man-found-innocent-just-wonderful/332310/175 "2005-11-24T04:06:14Z")
As just about everyone here knows, I am one of the more liberal SDMB members, and possibly one of the leading “Dubya” bashers but surprisingly I am _pro_ death penalty. So, I felt it was almost mandatory for me to post in this thread as opposed to just avoiding this story entirely. I’m sure that most “Dopers” are familiar with the John Stuart Mill quote “_while no other crime that he can commit deprives him of his right to live, this shall_”. Of course that quote is based on the premise that the recipient of the death penalty is actually guilty to begin with. So, in light of this story, there’s not much to say on the pro-death penalty side of the argument so I’ll just leave it at that. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2005, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/executed-man-found-innocent-just-wonderful/332310/176 "2005-11-24T05:04:09Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally Posted by **Mr. Moto** > > The thread title calls Cantu an innocant man, when he was far from an innocent. Cantu was a car thief, gang member and was seriously involved with drugs. No choir boy, he. Wow. Sounds an awful lot like me in my wayward youth. ---
**Author:** ![hermann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b487fb/32.png) [@hermann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hermann)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2005, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/executed-man-found-innocent-just-wonderful/332310/177 "2005-11-24T05:49:39Z")
I just wish that fucking Bush bashers would realize that Ann Richards was Governor when this happened. It’s one thing to bitch about a man being wrongfully put to death, but to bring Bush into this is bullshit. Hey, bash Richards, why don’t you? :wally ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2005, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/executed-man-found-innocent-just-wonderful/332310/178 "2005-11-24T05:52:07Z")
It is amazing how many people here are not reading what is being written. Do I want to be innocently killed by the state? Of course not. I said in a 100% no question situation. You know, smoking gun, 157 witnesses, video tape, confession and stuff and such. ( all together ) The DP should not even be an option in a case that does not have those things even if the crime is the same because there can not be the certainty. But that means different punishments for the same crime. We do that all the time now and no is complaining. I will not talk with a person that says the victims are not entitled to an opinion. You all won’t read. I said a world where 100% was required. Not just about the DP, but everything. EVERYTHING. Not just law, not just DP, everything. If you want 100% on DP I want 100% on speed limits, the breaking of them causes death. You speed and kill, you get life without parole. You can’t prove the need for an operation, 100%, no medical help for you. There are many cases where the guilt is 100% and you all are acting like that never happens. This thread is so long, no one is reading it anymore and just jumping in and saying things that were not said or were covered before. Making claims and accusations on the fly with no attempt at discourse. As someone said, “Have a great Holiday.” ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2005, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/executed-man-found-innocent-just-wonderful/332310/179 "2005-11-24T05:55:06Z")
> [@hermann](#): > > I just wish that fucking Bush bashers would realize that Ann Richards was Governor when this happened. It’s one thing to bitch about a man being wrongfully put to death, but to bring Bush into this is bullshit. Hey, bash Richards, why don’t you? :wally Richards wasn’t the one who mentioned not executing innocent people. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2005, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/executed-man-found-innocent-just-wonderful/332310/180 "2005-11-24T15:44:55Z")
> [@GusNSpot](#): > > It is amazing how many people here are not reading what is being written. > > Do I want to be innocently killed by the state? Of course not. > > I said in a 100% no question situation. You know, smoking gun, 157 witnesses, video tape, confession and stuff and such. ( all together ) The DP should not even be an option in a case that does not have those things even if the crime is the same because there can not be the certainty. If there were that 100 percent certainty, some people would not be so anti-death penalty. That is rarely the case. There are MANY people who fear making a mistake and executing an innocent person. The law is supposed to be all about justice. There is no justice in “frying” the wrong person. It’s one of my biggest problems with it. I have others, but uncertainty is right up there. There are also plenty of us who would still have no problem or hesitation in shooting someone who broke in and was a real physical threat (assuming we get lucky and can get to a weapon in time). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/executed-man-found-innocent-just-wonderful/332310.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/executed-man-found-innocent-just-wonderful/332310.md?page=10)