WSCC Legislative Priorities for 2013

“The direct and intentional destruction of… human life… always wrong -- not just one

issue among many--must always be opposed”

Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, 2011

U.S. Bishops Pastoral, The Challenge of Peace

“The possibility of taking even one human life is a prospect we

should consider in fear and trembling.”

FACTS• There is no credible evidence that capital punishment deters

crime. • Innocent people have been convicted and executed • Race plays a role in determining who lives and who dies. • Executions are carried out at staggering cost to taxpayers.• Life Without Parole is a Sensible, Safe Alternative to the Death

Penalty. • Bad Lawyers are a Persistent Problem in Capital Cases. • The USA is keeping company with notorious human rights abu

sers. • Capital punishment goes against almost every religion • Millions currently spent on death penalty could be used to assi

st the families of murder victims. • The death penalty is applied at random.

THERE IS NO CREDIBLE EVIDENCE THAT CAPITAL PUNISHMENT DETERS CRIME

Opinions of Expert Criminologists (Radelet & Lacock)

Do not deterNo opinionDo Deter

• Highest murder rates are in the South – and highest execution rates (Texas – 503 since 1976, Virginia – 110)

• Lowest murder rates are in New England – lowest execution rate-4

INNOCENT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CONVICTED AND EXECUTED

Since 1976, over 141 people have been released from death row with evidence of their innocence -House Judiciary Subcommittee on Civil & Constitutional Rights

In Washington State in 2010 three individuals have been exonerated through DNA evidence

RACE PLAYS A ROLE IN DETERMINING WHO LIVES OR DIES

Race of Defendants Executed

WhiteBlackHispanicOther

Race of Victims in Death Penalty Cases

WhiteBlackHispanicOther

EXECUTIONS ARE CARRIED OUT AT STAGGERING COST TO TAXPAYERS

• Texas - $2.3 million = 75% more than the cost of life imprisonment without parole

• Kansas – 70% more costly than non-capital cases.

• North Carolina - $2.16 million per execution over sentencing to life

• Florida - $51 million more than cost of sentencing all first-degree murderers to life

• Washington - $800,000 more than life

LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE IS A SENSIBLE, SAFE ALTERNATIVE TO THE DEATH PENALTY

•Life without parole –harsh sentence – no opportunity for release

•Allows for correction of mistakes

•Much lower cost

BAD LAWYERS ARE A PERSISTENT PROBLEM IN CAPITAL CASES

CAUSES OF WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS INCLUDE:

1. Incompetent defense lawyers’ (court appointed, sometimes previously disciplined)

2. Faulty eyewitness testimony3. Over-zealous police or prosecutors4. False confessions extracted after

turturous hours of interrogation5. False information provided by

jailhouse snitches6. Junk science

THE USA IS KEEPING COMPANY WITH NOTORIOUS HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSERS

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT GOES AGAINST ALMOST EVERY RELIGION

Judaism, Christianity, Islam all support and promulgate the ten commandments – THOU SHALT NOT KILL

Eastern philosophies – All animal life is sacred

Buddhism – all life is sacred – no one god, but intense self-discipline

Hinduism - many gods – reincarnation

Jainists carry brushes to push aside insects lest they tread on them.

MILLIONS CURRENTLY SPENT ON DEATH PENALTY COULD BE USED TO ASSIST FAMILIES

OF VICTIMS

Death penalty requires extensive due process to reduce the chance of executing an innocent person—prolongs pain of victims’ families—cost of the process could be used to support those families.

DEATH PENALTY IS APPLIED AT RANDOM

1. Gary Ridgeway, convicted of murdering 48 women – life without parole

2. Ben Ng and Kwan Fai Mak – 13 murders in the Wah Mee Massacre

3. Justice Charles Johnson – “…like lightening, randomly striking some defendants and not others.

Pope John Paul II in Evangelium Vitas, 2, states …

1. “Sign of hope --increasing recognition --dignity of human life must never be taken away

2. “Even in case of great evil 3. “Modern society has means of protecting

itself4. “Denying criminals a chance to reform5. “End the death penalty-- both cruel and

unnecessary.”