Proposition 34, which this page endorsed in May, would eliminate the death penalty in California and replace it with a sentence of life without the possibility of parole. Yet the “no” side seems determined to make it sound as if the measure is about setting killers free,” according to the L.A. Times.
Yes, it is true the folks who want to keep death penalty on the books in California, even though no one is ever put to death as millions of taxpayer dollars are wasted on endless appeals, are lying about Prop. 34, a measure on the ballot this November which will keep the bad guys in jail but will stop the Death Penalty merry-go-round.
“Prop. 34 lets serial killers, cop killers, child killers, and those who kill the elderly, escape justice,” the campaign says on its website. “Proponents don’t acknowledge that when California’s death penalty was eliminated before, condemned criminals were released only to rape and kill again! Voters had to restore capital punishment to restore justice.”
“In addition to replacing the death penalty with life without the possibility of parole, Proposition 34, if passed, would require inmates to work and pay restitution to the victims’ compensation fund. It would also allocate $90 million over three years to solve more murders and rapes in California,” according to the San Jose Mercury News.
The No on 34 campaign admits on its website that the death penalty is given to 2 percent of all convicted murderers. This mere 2 percent has cost California taxpayers about $4 billion since capital punishment was reinstated.
Even Bethany Webb, the sister of one of the victims of the murderous rampage at a Seal Beach salon this year has come out in favor of Prop. 34. She had this to say in the pages of the O.C. Register, “Worse yet, if he is sentenced to death he will get special treatment – like the others on death row. He will not be forced to have a roommate. He will get his own cell, a legal team for life, extra time in the exercise yard, visitors seven days a week, and he will get extra security. Death row inmates are treated like the superstars of the prison system. Proposition 34 would make Laura’s killer work in prison and pay restitution to the Victims Compensation Fund.”
Even if you like the death penalty, consider that “No executions have taken place since 2006, when legal challenges by anti-death penalty activists resulted in court mandated changes to the process,” according to the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.
Of course we should vote yes on Prop. 34! It will stop wasting our money on endless death row appeals, keep killers locked up, and make them work to pay restitution to victims’ families. Who could possibly oppose all those benefits?
The 729 on death row murdered at least 1,279 people, with 230 children. 43 were police officers. 211 were raped, 319 were robbed, 66 were killed in execution style, and 47 were tortured. 11 murdered other inmates.
The arguments in support of Pro. 34, the ballot measure to abolish the death penalty, are exaggerated at best and, in most cases, misleading and false.
No “savings.” Alleged savings ignore increased life-time medical costs for aging inmates and require decreased security levels and housing 2-3 inmates per cell rather than one. Rather than spending 23 hours/day in their cell, inmates will be required to work. These changes will lead to increased violence for other inmates and guards and prove unworkable for these killers. Also, without the death penalty, the lack of incentive to plead the case to avoid the death penalty will lead to more trial and related costs and appeals.
No “accountability.” Max earnings for any inmate would amount to $383/year (assuming 100% of earnings went to victims), divided by number of qualifying victims. Hardly accounts for murdering a loved one.
No “full enforcement” as 729 inmates do not receive penalty given them by jurors. Also, for the 34,000 inmates serving life sentences, there will be NO increased penalty for killing a guard or another inmate. They’re already serving a life sentence.
Efforts are also being made to get rid of life sentences. (Human Rights Watch, Old Behind Bars, 2012.) This would lead to possible paroles for not only the 729 on death row, but the 34,000 others serving life sentences. On 9/30/12, Brown passed the first step, signing a bill to allow 309 inmates with life sentences for murder to be paroled after serving as little as 15 years. Life without parole is meaningless. Remember Charles Manson and Sirhan Sirhan. Convicted killers get out and kill again, such as Darryl Thomas Kemp, Kenneth Allen McDuff, and Bennie Demps.
Arguments of innocence bogus. Can’t identify one innocent person executed in CA. Can’t identify one person on CA’s death row who has exhausted his appeals and has a plausible claim of innocence. See http://cadeathpenalty.webs.com/