Butterfly Cauldron
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Justice for all?
I don't believe it's a secret I'm opposed to the death penalty in just about every circumstance. I mean, I'd have been onboard with sending Hilter to the death chamber, but usually? No. You can't tell people it's wrong to kill people and then turn around and kill people as punishment. There's a huge level of dishonesty there that I can't get onboard with. The system is too easy to abuse, as evidenced by the hundreds of people proved innocent via DNA testing in recent years. Gods only know how many innocent people were killed by the state -- which brings the question, if the state kills people who kill people, why isn't the state up to be executed? Is the state above it's own laws? Anyway.
And so, I move on to the story of Paul House. He's on death row in Tennessee, convicted of rape and murder. He's also, it seems, innocent. Even the US Supreme Court, with all it's wacko conservatives, believe so. They've said so, sent the issue back to the state. And House is still on death row.
You can read House's story here. We're looking at a case where post-conviction DNA points at another assailant (the husband), planted bloodstain evidence, confessions by the husband to TWO witnesses and otherwise fabricated evidence.
This man was set up. And the DA's response? Well, ok. So he didn't rape her, that doesn't mean he didn't kill her. But, it was the rape -- as an aggravating cirucmstance -- that was the key to giving House the death sentence and putting him on death row. So now, the DA's office (and the DA that prosecuted the case has retired, the one in office now has no dog in this fight, really. No one could hold him responsible.) is standing by the old case, even though it's clear to a "reasonable" person (says our ultra-conservative Supreme Court) would have never convicted him if the whole story had been put before them.
Add to the fact that House has since developed MS in prison. And what does his treatment in prison consist of? A vitamin and OTC sleeping aids. He doesn't get any of the new treatments that could make his life more bareable. With MS, he's in constant physical pain and possibly occassional paralysis. And they give him a vitamin and tylenol. I think they're forgetting the part of the law where unusual and inhumane punishment is, ya know, out.
So, anyway, if I hadn't been opposed to the death penalty before, this would do it for me. How many other House's are sitting on death row around the country? How many innocent people has the state, in my name and your name, killed? They're making us all murderers without our consent.
And so, I move on to the story of Paul House. He's on death row in Tennessee, convicted of rape and murder. He's also, it seems, innocent. Even the US Supreme Court, with all it's wacko conservatives, believe so. They've said so, sent the issue back to the state. And House is still on death row.
You can read House's story here. We're looking at a case where post-conviction DNA points at another assailant (the husband), planted bloodstain evidence, confessions by the husband to TWO witnesses and otherwise fabricated evidence.
This man was set up. And the DA's response? Well, ok. So he didn't rape her, that doesn't mean he didn't kill her. But, it was the rape -- as an aggravating cirucmstance -- that was the key to giving House the death sentence and putting him on death row. So now, the DA's office (and the DA that prosecuted the case has retired, the one in office now has no dog in this fight, really. No one could hold him responsible.) is standing by the old case, even though it's clear to a "reasonable" person (says our ultra-conservative Supreme Court) would have never convicted him if the whole story had been put before them.
Add to the fact that House has since developed MS in prison. And what does his treatment in prison consist of? A vitamin and OTC sleeping aids. He doesn't get any of the new treatments that could make his life more bareable. With MS, he's in constant physical pain and possibly occassional paralysis. And they give him a vitamin and tylenol. I think they're forgetting the part of the law where unusual and inhumane punishment is, ya know, out.
So, anyway, if I hadn't been opposed to the death penalty before, this would do it for me. How many other House's are sitting on death row around the country? How many innocent people has the state, in my name and your name, killed? They're making us all murderers without our consent.
Labels: death penalty, law, outrage
