Les Jones

True Crime > Re-thinking the Death Penalty

The Birmingham News explains why it is reversing its long-standing support of the death penalty.

It's a matter of law that deeply troubles The News' editorial board. After decades of supporting the death penalty, the editorial board no longer can do so. Today and over the next five days, we will explain our change of mind and heart.

We know that many of our readers, including families and friends of murder victims, will disagree. We acknowledge we cannot grasp the profound grief experienced by those who lose loved ones in senseless, savage killings. We well understand some crimes are so great that those who commit them don't deserve to live in the free world ever again, and that some don't deserve to live at all. Yet we can no longer in good conscience continue to advocate the death penalty in Alabama.

I have no objection to the death penalty in principle, but as currently practiced the system has tremendous flaws. Via Facing South via Michael Silence.