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State Chapters => Texas => Topic started by: Elderberry on December 24, 2018, 12:36:15 am

Title: Texas shouldn’t be proud that it’s become ‘Executions ‘R’ Us’
Post by: Elderberry on December 24, 2018, 12:36:15 am
Houston Chronicle By The Editorial Board Dec. 22, 2018

Pride in our state’s exceptional history and traditions related to the Old West may help explain Texans’ clinging to some practices that should be consigned to the state’s past. That includes the death penalty, which continues to be carried out more frequently in Texas than anywhere else in America.

In fact, this year Texas reversed course from the national trend it had been following and executed 13 people; which was more than the 12 executions that occurred in the rest of the United States. Seven people were put to death in Texas in both 2016 and 2017.

After nearly 18 years in prison and numerous appeals, Joseph Garcia was executed Dec. 4 at the Texas State Penitentiary at Huntsville. Garcia was one of the “Texas Seven” inmates convicted of murder in the Christmas Eve 2000 slaying of a North Texas police officer during their escape attempt.

With 224 inmates currently on death row in Texas, a 25-year low, more executions appear certain to follow Garcia’s. Less certain is what those executions will accomplish other than removing those executed from society — a goal that could be achieved just as well and less expensively by life sentences.

The cost leading to an execution, including appeals and incarceration, easily exceeds $1 million; compared with less than $700,000 to keep an inmate in prison for 40 years.

Of course, money isn’t the most important reason for Texas to reconsider capital punishment. With DNA testing and other improved evidence collection methods, it is now indisputable that sometimes the wrong person is sentenced to death.

More: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/opinion/editorials/article/Texas-shouldn-t-be-proud-that-it-s-become-13482190.php (https://www.houstonchronicle.com/opinion/editorials/article/Texas-shouldn-t-be-proud-that-it-s-become-13482190.php)
Title: Re: Texas shouldn’t be proud that it’s become ‘Executions ‘R’ Us’
Post by: IsailedawayfromFR on December 24, 2018, 01:36:11 am
What we really need to do is more executions.  No reason to keep some on death row such a long time.

Title: Re: Texas shouldn’t be proud that it’s become ‘Executions ‘R’ Us’
Post by: Wingnut on December 24, 2018, 01:44:31 am
In Texas, we have the death penalty and we use it. If you come to Texas and kill somebody, we will kill you back.
Title: Re: Texas shouldn’t be proud that it’s become ‘Executions ‘R’ Us’
Post by: InHeavenThereIsNoBeer on December 24, 2018, 05:40:56 am
The cost leading to an execution, including appeals and incarceration, easily exceeds $1 million; compared with less than $700,000 to keep an inmate in prison for 40 years.

Fun with math.

According to the latest (2016) national figures from the Census Bureau, Americans spend $11,762 per year on public education for each pupil.  According to this article, Texas spends $17,500 per year to keep an inmate in prison (it says less than, but let's just go with that number for now).

At six hours a day, nine months a year, and five days a week, that works out to $10.03/hr to keep an inmate a child in public schools.  At 24x365, $2.00/hr to keep an inmate in prison.
Title: Re: Texas shouldn’t be proud that it’s become ‘Executions ‘R’ Us’
Post by: Oceander on December 24, 2018, 07:03:33 pm
How many innocents has Texas killed?  Isn’t killing an innocent murder?
Title: Re: Texas shouldn’t be proud that it’s become ‘Executions ‘R’ Us’
Post by: Victoria33 on December 24, 2018, 08:09:35 pm
How many innocents has Texas killed?  Isn’t killing an innocent murder?
@Oceander
@mystery-ak 

Texas prisoner executions happen in Huntsville, TX.  I lived near there and weekly went to the beauty shop and bought groceries there.

My road to Huntsville, took me into Huntsville downtown square.  Before I got to the square, I would pass the Huntsville prison.  I went to the beauty shop, then stopped at a near Walgreens drug store on the street I came in on.  There was a policeman standing at the door.  He asked me where I was going to go after the drugstore.  Told him going to the grocery (that is also on that street). 

He told me there was going to be an execution and the Black Panthers were in town due to it being a black man being executed.   He said they are going into stores and causing trouble - the entire city square was shut down including the banks. He told me to go straight to the grocery and not go in if I saw any of them outside the store, quickly buy the groceries and go around the town to go back home - do not go the way I came in which goes in front of the prison. 

Huntsville exists due to the prison and Sam Houston University there having a degree in Criminal Justice.  Of course they have other degrees but the Criminal Justice degree feeds graduates into the Huntsville/Texas prison system.
Title: Re: Texas shouldn’t be proud that it’s become ‘Executions ‘R’ Us’
Post by: bigheadfred on December 24, 2018, 08:41:43 pm
How many innocents has Texas killed?  Isn’t killing an innocent murder?

In cases where the evidence is clear, and the death penalty is handed down, execution should be immediate. But I would bet in a high number of cases, the evidence is shaky, or hidden, or falsified. And/or the defense is inadequate.

In cases where there is malfeasance on the part of the justice system, any person or party involved, where an innocent was executed, those people should meet the same fate.
Title: Re: Texas shouldn’t be proud that it’s become ‘Executions ‘R’ Us’
Post by: IsailedawayfromFR on December 25, 2018, 02:31:43 am
How many innocents has Texas killed?  Isn’t killing an innocent murder?
Yes,  how many innocents have been killed in the State of Texas?

Let's include the ones murdered by those caught and uncaught.  Many thousands compared to at the most a handful over the years perhaps mistakenly executed.

I'll trade that any time.
Title: Re: Texas shouldn’t be proud that it’s become ‘Executions ‘R’ Us’
Post by: Elderberry on December 25, 2018, 02:50:01 am
How many innocents has Texas killed?  Isn’t killing an innocent murder?

Quote
Murder(dictionary.law.com): the killing of a human being by a sane person, with intent, malice aforethought (prior intention to kill the particular victim or anyone who gets in the way) and with no legal excuse or authority.

Texas may have killed many innocents, but by definition it wouldn't have been murder.
Title: Re: Texas shouldn’t be proud that it’s become ‘Executions ‘R’ Us’
Post by: corbe on December 25, 2018, 04:32:09 am
How many innocents has Texas killed?  Isn’t killing an innocent murder?

  Since you asked @Oceander
  WE, Texans call that 'Highly Unfortunate' and $hit happens.
Title: Re: Texas shouldn’t be proud that it’s become ‘Executions ‘R’ Us’
Post by: MajorClay on December 27, 2018, 05:46:32 pm
Next?

 :pop41:
Title: Re: Texas shouldn’t be proud that it’s become ‘Executions ‘R’ Us’
Post by: Oceander on December 28, 2018, 02:45:12 am
Yes,  how many innocents have been killed in the State of Texas?

Let's include the ones murdered by those caught and uncaught.  Many thousands compared to at the most a handful over the years perhaps mistakenly executed.

I'll trade that any time.


Ahhh, so it’s ok if the government kills a few innocents here and there.  Who cares. 

You disgust me. 
Title: Re: Texas shouldn’t be proud that it’s become ‘Executions ‘R’ Us’
Post by: bigheadfred on December 28, 2018, 02:55:19 am
Ahhh, so it’s ok if the government kills a few innocents here and there.  Who cares. 

You disgust me.

The government kills innocent people worldwide every day. Either through direct action, Or indirect. There is no difference.

And if you are REALLY a practitioner of the law, then YOU, of all the rest, SURELY understand that within the "justice" system, mistakes have been made. Or are completely effing made up.

Title: Re: Texas shouldn’t be proud that it’s become ‘Executions ‘R’ Us’
Post by: catfish1957 on December 28, 2018, 02:59:09 am
What we really need to do is more executions.  No reason to keep some on death row such a long time.

(https://media.dead-frog.com/comics/ron_white.jpg)

(http://www.famousquotes123.com/gifs/quotes_images/16698.jpg)
Title: Re: Texas shouldn’t be proud that it’s become ‘Executions ‘R’ Us’
Post by: IsailedawayfromFR on December 28, 2018, 02:52:12 pm
Ahhh, so it’s ok if the government kills a few innocents here and there.  Who cares. 

You disgust me.
No, you as a practitioner of law is the disgusting one.

Why are you and your profession allowing this to occur by the mistakes you make?

And I do not understand why you are on a Texas board anyway since you frown on how we do things down here.
Title: Re: Texas shouldn’t be proud that it’s become ‘Executions ‘R’ Us’
Post by: Bigun on December 28, 2018, 03:22:20 pm
How many innocents has Texas killed?  Isn’t killing an innocent murder?

None that we are aware of and every single person who has been put to death by the State of Texas has been tried and convicted at least twice.  That would be 24 people on two separate juries who heard the case and unanimously voted guilty.
Title: Re: Texas shouldn’t be proud that it’s become ‘Executions ‘R’ Us’
Post by: austingirl on December 28, 2018, 04:06:24 pm
What we really need to do is more executions.  No reason to keep some on death row such a long time.

I agree.
Title: Re: Texas shouldn’t be proud that it’s become ‘Executions ‘R’ Us’
Post by: bigheadfred on December 28, 2018, 04:09:30 pm
No, you as a practitioner of law is the disgusting one.

Why are you and your profession allowing this to occur by the mistakes you make?

And I do not understand why you are on a Texas board anyway since you frown on how we do things down here.


No, you as a practitioner of law is the disgusting one.


Don't do that pleeze? Do not (asking as a friend) crawl in to his hole.

As effed up as I am, I am spinning the wheels to give him a break. We had some really good fog last night and the temp is around 0. Sun is up, skies are clear. There is some stupendous frost on the trees. What I am saying is this Idaho boy can feel the anger all the way from NYC via TEXAS to here. It is like there is a bad vibe in Oceander's life right now. Not to step on Texas Toast. But maybe if he could witness/see/feel Idaho frost it would clear his head?
Title: Re: Texas shouldn’t be proud that it’s become ‘Executions ‘R’ Us’
Post by: IsailedawayfromFR on December 28, 2018, 06:58:01 pm

No, you as a practitioner of law is the disgusting one.


Don't do that pleeze? Do not (asking as a friend) crawl in to his hole.

As effed up as I am, I am spinning the wheels to give him a break. We had some really good fog last night and the temp is around 0. Sun is up, skies are clear. There is some stupendous frost on the trees. What I am saying is this Idaho boy can feel the anger all the way from NYC via TEXAS to here. It is like there is a bad vibe in Oceander's life right now. Not to step on Texas Toast. But maybe if he could witness/see/feel Idaho frost it would clear his head?
I couldn't resist to remind him that 100% of any death of innocents are represented by and prosecuted by lawyers who fail to do their job competently.
Title: Re: Texas shouldn’t be proud that it’s become ‘Executions ‘R’ Us’
Post by: bigheadfred on December 28, 2018, 07:30:17 pm
I couldn't resist to remind him that 100% of any death of innocents are represented by and prosecuted by lawyers who fail to do their job competently.

I know. It is a personal angst.

Per my prior post.
Quote

In cases where the evidence is clear, and the death penalty is handed down, execution should be immediate. But I would bet in a high number of cases, the evidence is shaky, or hidden, or falsified. And/or the defense is inadequate.

In cases where there is malfeasance on the part of the justice system, any person or party involved, where an innocent was executed, those people should meet the same fate.

And like the old "joke". You know why NY got all the lawyers and New Jersey got the waste dumps? New Jersey got first pick.