Someone who of course is much more smarter and intelligent than I please explain how this country, the state of Missouri can go forward in executing a man that could possibly be innocent of the charges he was convicted of. A prosecutor, the jury and the victim's family have all said that his case should be reviewed and the evidence they give is more than reasonable.
Marcellus Williams has been executed by the State of Missouri
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Iirc Missouri’s AG is a particularly bloodthirsty bastard and no doubt figures this is how he makes his bones.
BillOfRights
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because executing innocent people is tough on crime. /s
superrific
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This is a serious answer, unfortunately: because conservative jurists care more for finality than justice. They say that explicitly. Thomas is the worst but all the Republicans on the Supreme Court in the last 50 years (save possibly O'Connor) have cared more for procedural "regularity" (which often isn't regular) than doing the right thing.
These days, the justices are just getting annoyed at last-minute appeals. They keep talking about doing away with federal challenges to capital sentences because they don't like to be disturbed by emergency petitions. Because, you know, their comfort matters most of all.
These days, the justices are just getting annoyed at last-minute appeals. They keep talking about doing away with federal challenges to capital sentences because they don't like to be disturbed by emergency petitions. Because, you know, their comfort matters most of all.
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Because the death penalty is such an important component in some people's political philosophy that the occasional murder of an innocent person is the price they believe must be paid in order to have what right-wingers think is an ordered society. And besides, in a right-winger's mind, the occasional state-sanctioned murder, just means one more dead-beat permanently removed from the public dole.
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This is why I am against the death penalty.,
Far too many people are wrongfully convicted.
I heard an interview a few weeks ago with a guy released after 30 years, when it was proven that he was innocent. He missed his kid growing up.
superrific
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Technically, yes. Kav then sends an email to his colleagues, asking, "hey, anyone interested in halting this execution?" Four or five other Justices say, "nah, I'm going out to dinner tonight" and thus the court rejects the claim.
This time, it was unusually quick. They've already rejected it. Dude is going to be dead in an hour.
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The GOP loves killing?
It certainly seems that way to me . . !
HandsonFire
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Well this makes me sick. I am truly sorry I had any part in getting a Republican on the SC.
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superrific
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These assholes have no shame. I generally don't care very much about the death penalty, but I tend to care about integrity of the legal system.
One of the prosecutors used a preemptory strike to exclude a juror who looked like Mr. Williams. When asked if that was because of his race, the prosecutor said, no, it was because the juror had similar eyes to Marcellus Williams. And similar glasses. Because, you know, prosecutors commonly look at jurors' eyes and strike their participation if they are ocularly similar to the defendant.
Last month, on the stand (I don't know the procedure), the prosecutor finally admitted that race was a factor in striking the juror. One of many factors, including the eyes and glasses, but anyway . . .
There is so much fucking bullshit in our court systems.
One of the prosecutors used a preemptory strike to exclude a juror who looked like Mr. Williams. When asked if that was because of his race, the prosecutor said, no, it was because the juror had similar eyes to Marcellus Williams. And similar glasses. Because, you know, prosecutors commonly look at jurors' eyes and strike their participation if they are ocularly similar to the defendant.
Last month, on the stand (I don't know the procedure), the prosecutor finally admitted that race was a factor in striking the juror. One of many factors, including the eyes and glasses, but anyway . . .
There is so much fucking bullshit in our court systems.
I do think this is the mindset of conservatives when it comes to the death penalty. They aren’t the brightest bunch, but on some level plenty of them probably realize that innocent people are going to get executed from time to time, they just rationalize it as a necessary byproduct of their warped view of the justice system.
Not sure if the death penalty Poli sci class was around when any of you were at UNC. That was easily the most eye-opening class I’ve ever taken. The professor arranged a visit to death row and had several people that had been wrongly convicted of murder and spent decades on death row before getting exonerated come speak to the class.
superrific
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The last minute appeal is a thing of the past. This Court has made it clear that they aren't interested in hearing these claims near the execution date, no matter the circumstances. I doubt these assholes even read the briefs. This is their way of telling defense lawyers not to bug them when they are trying to watch TV on Tuesday night.
I am sick myself HF . . . I would like to believe that I live in a country where it is both fair and just, and that we as a people do everything to make sure that it is a fair & right world in which we all live.
This case does NOT make me feel this way, I feel like injustice is being done and nobody gives a flying fuck about that fact.
For me, this is above cruel.
I have a major sad now.
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Tt's the same thing with school shootings. They'd rather have kindergartners get blown apart then cut off their lobbyist money and base pandering.
For all their talk "life" is one of their lowest priorities.
superrific
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Oh, lots of people do give a flying fuck about that. But only three of them are on the Supreme Court.