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Judges Revolt Over Death Penalty

Submitted by Peter Lushing, Mar 4, 2008 10:45

Picture Southern judges 50 years ago beseeching prosecutors not to bring cases against racist killers because they'll be a big waste of time, local juries not likely to convict (yeah, I know there were probably few contemplated prosecutions, but the analogy is valid). Liberal minded people would've argued it's wrong to kill people, double wrong to kill people racially, triplelly wrong for the juries to nullify the law, quadrupally wrong for judges to enable the miscarriage of justice. Further, there is a vindication of the law in bringing a proper proscution, albeit doomed. Also, who knows when the tide will turn and jurors' attitudes will change? But, one might argue, the judges where are simply predicting that the jurors' will not find the cases suitable for the death penalty. Whence these jurors' attitudes, if not disagreement with the law of the land (federal law has a death penalty, doncha know). Some of these are multiple murders. If you don't like the death penalty, act to repeal it. Meanwhile, the judges should redouble efforts to get death-qualified jurors, and let the chips fall where they may. Federal law -- civil rights law, e.g., -- should be enforced uniformly around the country. Wasn't that established back when liberals liked federal law?


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Other reader comments on this article

Comment By Date

The death penalty first of all can never be reversed. Once the cyanide or lethal injection is administered it's too... [MORE]

Stuart H. Tresser 

Mar 4, 2008 15:36

Judges have no right to try to usurp the legal authority tof the execytive branch to seek the death penalty. [MORE]

Gary Lacey 

Mar 4, 2008 14:36

It should be pointed out that the defendant in the Judge Block case mentioned in your article was convicted and... [MORE]

anon 

Mar 4, 2008 14:21

Picture Southern judges 50 years ago beseeching prosecutors not to bring cases against racist killers because they'll be a big...

Peter Lushing 

Mar 4, 2008 10:45

It should be "Judges are revolting" and by that I mean that they are bad and not revolutionary! [MORE]

KWH 

Mar 4, 2008 02:27

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