Death Penalty Given Less Often

A New York Times article reveals that fewer

defendants are receiving a death sentence

across the country. The numbers in Texas

were quite dramatic: 9 sentenced as opposed

to an average of 34 in the 1990s.

Two thoughts to consider:

1) As exonerations rise, fewer are willing to

sentence to death someone who may in fact

not be guilty

2) Life without parole is safer than death in

situations where the defendant might be innocent.

Does the lower number mean that the end of

the death penalty in the United States is

arriving?

Only time will tell. For many, the

idea of spending decades in a small cement

box knowing that you will not leave prison

until death is worse than actually being

sentenced to die with a known date of execution.

For now when the crime is heinous, capital

punishment remains a favored choice.