Gallup

Opinions on the death penalty are changing all the time.  Constant fluctuation between for or against.  do it or don't do it.  Gallup has taken it upon themselves to see where we stand now.  check this link out. http://www.gallup.com/poll/144284/Support-Death-Penalty-Cases-Murder.aspx

something to keep on eye out for

This sounds pretty interesting.  Its a classic case of wrongful execution with new evidence surfacing after his death.  Give it a watch if you have time, I know i will

"On October 19, PBS's FRONTLINE will air Death by Fire, a documentary closely examining the evidence used to convict Cameron Todd Willingham of the arson deaths of his three children. The documentary will focus on a critical finding that was revealed just weeks before Willingham's execution -- that fire investigators apparently relied on outdated arson science to determine that Willingham had set the fire that killed his children. Gerald Hurst, a forensic arson expert, reviewed the evidence based on modern arson science and concluded it was a classic accidental fire.  Death by Fire also features writer Elizabeth Gilbert, who corresponded with Willingham in prison and first began to question his guilt.  Willingham's case is also being examined by the Texas Forensic Science Commission and a special Court of Inquiry that may determine that Texas executed an innocent man." -Death Penalty Information Center

Big Break for Navy Veteran

Interesting news today on the death penalty front.

"Earlier this month, a Nevada district judge ordered the immediate release of Ronnie Milligan, who has spent over 20 years on death row. Milligan, a Navy veteran, may have been wrongfully convicted of the 1980 killing of Zolihon Voinski. Milligan was the only one of three co-defendants who was sentenced to death for the crime. Four years ago, the Nevada Supreme Court set new death penalty sentencing protocols that toughened requirements that make an inmate eligible for the death penalty. The new ruling by the court required the proof of existence of at least two aggravating factors, and Milligan was among a handful of inmates who benefited from the ruling. Doubts concerning Milligan’s guilt were also raised after a letter written by an eyewitness at his trial, Ramon Houston, was discovered. In the letter, Houston indicated that he killed Voinski, not Milligan. The letter also disclosed that Milligan, who had testified at his trial that he was in an alcoholic blackout, was not even there when Voinski was killed. Another co-defendant signed an affidavit saying that Milligan was not present during the killing, and that everybody involved conspired against him when they learned he had no memory of that day. Expressing “grave reservations” about Milligan’s guilt, District Judge Richard Wagner sentenced Milligan to a term of life with the possibility of parole and determined that Milligan was immediately eligible for parole."


The above information is courtesy of the Death Penalty Information Center.  Wow.....20 years on death row without even knowing if you're guilty or not....crazy.  Also interesting to note that atleast in Nevada, the death penalty sentencing protocol has been toughed to try and prevent innocent executions. 

Killing the handicapped?

Big news in the realm of capital punishment.  In Georgia, Brandon Rhode, who was sentenced to the death penalty has had his execution postponed due to suicidal attempt.  He has been diagnosed with both Organic Brain Damage and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.  FASD can cause a person to be a the mental level of someone much younger than themselves prompting Rhodes lawyer to ask that his death sentence be repealed completely.

What do you think? does this qualify Rhodes to be taken off death row?

Public opinion

Since I'm doing this for my public opinion class i decided starting with a public opinion fact would be appropriate.  Deathpenaltyinfo.org has a very extensive and informative fact sheet on the death penalty.  For instance, a may 2006 Gallup poll shows that overall support of the death penalty was 65% (down from 84% in 1994).  This poll did something else that was pretty interesting.  It showed that when given a choice, 48% of respondents would choose life without parole compared to the 47% who would choose the death penalty.  5% had no opinion.  So ladies, enjoy this tiny tidbit of information and try to get out of your mother's basement today.

Who am I?

Hello fellow followers of the blogging world who probably have no life.  Im about to sap what little life you do have with the blog i will be starting but first a little about myself.  Im a senior at ISU and majoring Politics and Government.  I am starting this blog as part of a class assignment for my public opinion class.  Most if not all my blogs, depending on what tangent i get off on, will be featuring the death penalty.  Other than that, shut up, strap in, and listen.