This right here is what makes the death penalty a joke. 17 years of appeals? Just crazy. Should be, cut off their head after a week.RoyGBiv wrote: ↑Fri Sep 16, 2022 8:19 amA few thoughts...carlson1 wrote: ↑Thu Sep 15, 2022 9:02 pm The DA has to seek the Death Penalty. I did speak to Mesquite Police after I posted this thread. The Officer I talked to said that Officer Houston’s family basically was fine either way. He said and very carefully and I quote, “the family was fine with life without parole.”
It almost made me think the DA “talked” then into life without parole. It shouldn’t really be a choice. I know this, thirty years ago if you killed a police officer you fried.
They have no problems convicting John Q Public or Police Officers to the max.
1. The Death Penalty, as a deterrent to crime, is sort of a joke. How many years before all appeals are exhausted?
In Texas, there are 192 inmates on death row for an average, currently, of over 17 years.
Source: https://apps.texastribune.org/death-row/
2. If I was stupid enough to get myself on death row, I'd prefer to go quick, rather than live 17+ years in prison. IMO, life in prison is worse than death. YMMV.
3. I'd like to see a new standard... "Beyond a Shred of Doubt.".... Maybe.... Caught in the act. Or, Clear video. Or, 2 independent, reliable (as in clean records, honest community members) witnesses, 1 of whom is not in law enforcement. Add whatever you think would be a tighter standard than Beyond Reasonable Doubt. People convicted at this level get the needle after 1 appeal. Everyone else gets life.
Personally, I would rather be killed than spend 17 years sitting in a 6x10 cell.