Life Without Parole Gets the Death Penalty
Update: Was someone at the legislature reading my blog? Nah, I doubt I'm that influential. But in a nice surprise, a compromise bill passed out of the state senate today which creates life without parole for capital cases. The original bill would have given jurors three options in capital cases--death, life without parole, and life with parole. The compromise bill gets rid of life with parole, and leaves jurors with the option of death or life without parole. Kudos to Sens. Lucio and Ogden for working out the compromise.
****************
Original post:
Many people are surprised to learn that Texas does not have a sentence of life without parole. Capital murderers who are not sentenced to death are eligible for parole in 40 years. For a state with a reputation for being so tough on crime, this seems out of character. But, in fact, the biggest opponents of a proposed life without parole option in Texas are not us bleeding-heart, liberal defense attorneys. Nope. It's the big-city DAs and victims' rights groups. Why? Because they worry (probably rightly) that fewer people would get the death penalty if the jury had the option of giving life without parole. It's much easier to convince a jury to take someone's life if you can scare them into believing the defendant might one day be free to kill again. A recent bill to istitute life wtihout parole was shot down by a procedural hurdle in the state senate last week. This, despite the fact that 78% of Texans support having life without parole. I challenge lawmakers to finally stand up to DAs and victims' rights groups and enact some common-sense legislation supported by a super-majority of its citizens. And if it means fewer death sentences handed down, it won't surprise you that I'm all for that, too.
****************
Original post:
Many people are surprised to learn that Texas does not have a sentence of life without parole. Capital murderers who are not sentenced to death are eligible for parole in 40 years. For a state with a reputation for being so tough on crime, this seems out of character. But, in fact, the biggest opponents of a proposed life without parole option in Texas are not us bleeding-heart, liberal defense attorneys. Nope. It's the big-city DAs and victims' rights groups. Why? Because they worry (probably rightly) that fewer people would get the death penalty if the jury had the option of giving life without parole. It's much easier to convince a jury to take someone's life if you can scare them into believing the defendant might one day be free to kill again. A recent bill to istitute life wtihout parole was shot down by a procedural hurdle in the state senate last week. This, despite the fact that 78% of Texans support having life without parole. I challenge lawmakers to finally stand up to DAs and victims' rights groups and enact some common-sense legislation supported by a super-majority of its citizens. And if it means fewer death sentences handed down, it won't surprise you that I'm all for that, too.
posted by 123txpublicdefender123 at 1:14 PM
2 Comments:
I'm 52 I was sexual abuse by my dad he is dead now he was in prison for drugs but he had a law suit against the prison plus he was getting a aspeicts check how do I get my inhertence
Please help- I was molested & sexual abused by my brother in NC after 26 years. Can I take him to court now? I continually have flash backs. He picked the locks of my bedroom & bathroom door & continually attacked me. I told my mother & he was punished. I was told that I was too pretty & etc.. Wow.. What a wonderful life that I had.
Post a Comment
<< Home