The Dallas Morning News applauds the State of Illinois for outlawing capital punishment and urges the Texas legislature to do likewise. It says, "Illinois' action means a mistake in the administration of justice will not claim an innocent life."
Let's think about that statement. Suppose a jury finds a man guilty of a heinous murder. Suppose he is sentenced to life in prison since there is no death penalty. We all know that life in prison doesn't really mean life in prison. Suppose he gets out. And suppose he takes up his old habits. Any number of innocent people could lose their lives because of this "mistake in the administration of justice."
Mistakes in the administration of justice are much more likely to fall out to the detriment of the victim than to the detriment of the defendant. If we must err, let's err on the side of the innocent victim. Anyway, why in heaven's name would Texas want to emulate the political mindset of Illinois -- the state of Blago, Barack, Rahm Emmanuel, Rostenkowski, Rezko, and the Daley's?
"Hits and Misses." The Dallas Morning News; March 12, 2011; p. 22A.
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