Wrongful death
Capital punishment needs revision

The death penalty not only dehumanizes, but it also perpetuates the cycle of violence. For every seven persons executed nationwide, one innocent man or woman has been released from death row.

In 1972, the Supreme Court declared that under then existing laws “the imposition and carrying out of the death penalty ... constitutes cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the Eighth and 14th Amendments.”

Today, both the House of Representatives and the Senate are re-examining 445 cases that are on death row. Gov. Rick Perry has passed a law stating inmates have the right to petition a court for DNA tests. He also said the state should take a harder look at opting the sentencing of capital murder defendants to life without parole.

Amnesty International agrees with many opponents of death row in that the death penalty is the “ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment.” Not only does it violate the right to life, but it can sometimes be inflicted on the innocent.

Texas needs to take a break from the death penalty.

How many lives is it going to take before we realize that the death penalty is cruel and can sometimes be done on the wrong person — the innocent person.

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