Dec 2nd, 2008
Posted by Suzanne Ito, ACLU at 4:44pm	Capital Punishment

Former Baltimore Cop Speaks Out Against the Death Penalty

As John blogged last month, the Maryland Commission on Capital Punishment has called on the state to abolish the death penalty. The ACLU of Maryland opined on this back in January, and another powerful voice added to the debate today: Michael May, a former police officer with the Baltimore Police Department, wrote in the Baltimore Examiner today about his evolution from a death penalty proponent to an abolitionist. The thought of executing an innocent person is part of what turned it around for him. May writes:

Like many people, I have struggled to make sense of this issue. The death penalty seems like a proportionate punishment for a grievous crime. At least it brings justice to victims in the face of evil. But does it? My religion teaches that the path to true peace is through forgiveness. John Paul II traveled to an Italian prison to forgive the man who shot him. The death penalty keeps us from following that noble example. It certainly does not bring back or even honor the dead. It also does not ennoble the living. It does nothing to assuage the sorrow of the victim's loved ones. In fact, as I sat through the commission hearings waiting to testify, I heard from victims' families who said the opposite — that the death penalty's uncertainty only brought them more grief.

It's clear from the sheer number of death row exonerees that the death penalty is flawed, and the likelihood of executing an innocent person remains very high. Let's hope Maryland follows in New Jersey's footsteps and abolishes the death penalty. We've discussed many times over how it makes financial sense for the states — May makes crystal-clear that it makes moral sense as well.

h/t: StandDown

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1. :( Says:
   Dec 4th, 2008 at 2:59pm

   London Times Obituary
   of the late Mr. Common Sense

   Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as: Knowing when to come in out of the rain; why the early bird gets the worm; life isn't always fair; and maybe it was my fault.

   Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).

   His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

   Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.

   It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

   Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

   Common Sense finally gave up the will to live after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

   Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, I Want It Now, Someone Else Is To Blame, and I'm A Victim.

   Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.

2. Mike Holland Says:
   Dec 10th, 2008 at 9:02am

   Well, I've favoured Death Penalty for a long time. But one day I woke up and I've thought more accurately about it. So I've found out that since this is above it all a human decision, it cannot be spoiled to be prey of mistakes. It's true, somethimes death penalties have been right, but how many times they punished people just suspected to be guilties or, they used innocent as scapegoats to save the real guilties, maybe too much powerful to be even incriminated? Maybe this has never happened, maybe it has. If the percentage of this probability this could happen really does exist, we are forced to stop death penalties, becosuse it would be umbearable...

   http://www.eloquentbooks.com/Vicarious.html
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUZOoRL8qYM