It's official Texas death law changed!

[beckers]

Perry Signs Life Without Parole Bill

Poll: 78 Percent Support Life Without Parole, 75 Percent Support Death

POSTED: 12:07 pm CDT June 17, 2005

**AUSTIN, Texas – **Gov. Rick Perry signed into law Friday a new life-without-parole sentencing option for Texas juries in capital murder cases.

Texas juries have been able to sentence capital murder convicts to death or life in prison with the possibility of parole after 40 years. The new law, which takes effect Sept. 1, will strip the possibility of parole.

Texas leads the nation in executions with nine this year and 345 since the state resumed the practice in 1982. Of the 38 states that execute capital offenders, Texas and New Mexico are the only ones that lacked the life-without-parole option.

“I believe this bill will improve our criminal justice system because it gives jurors a new option to protect the public with the certainty a convicted killer will never roam our streets again,” said Perry, a Republican.

The Legislature approved the change in the session that ended May 30.

A Scripps-Howard poll in October found that 75 percent of Texans support the death penalty and 78 percent favored giving juries the option of life without parole.

Opponents of the change argued the current parole option gives convicts a reason to behave in prison if good behavior will help them get out. Supporters preferred to call it “truth in sentencing” since convicts sentenced to life are guaranteed never to be freed.

While some prosecutors were opposed to the legislation when it included keeping the possibility of life with parole, many decided to support the bill once the parole option was removed.

Bill sponsors who had failed to pass the measure in previous years felt their case was bolstered by the Supreme Court ruling in March that banned the execution of murderers who kill when they are younger than 18. In 2002, the courts also struck down executions of mentally retarded inmates.

AMEN!!!
BECKERS

 

[Lurch104]

Perry Signs Life Without Parole Bill

Poll: 78 Percent Support Life Without Parole, 75 Percent Support Death

Opponents of the change argued the current parole option gives convicts a reason to behave in prison if good behavior will help them get out. BECKERS

I think this is great news! However, I am saddened that the left (as predicted) is already now attacking Life without Parole.

 

[Donna_P]

This is a great day for Texas!

 

[Richardols]

Donna P:

This is a great day for Texas!

Is it? I say “To **** with Texas!” The state with a bloodlust so great that it has executed more people than did the Inquisition and which has executed more people than any other state in the Union.

I actually pack a cooler on the rare occasions when I must go to Texas. I wouldn’t spend a nickel in that death-loving place.

No parole. No hope. No option that a man, even a young man, might be turned around and have a possibility of joining society again. A wonderful bunch of people there, huh?

 

[yochumjy]

Richardols:

Is it? I say “To **** with Texas!” The state with a bloodlust so great that it has executed more people than did the Inquisition and which has executed more people than any other state in the Union.

I actually pack a cooler on the rare occasions when I must go to Texas. I wouldn’t spend a nickel in that death-loving place.

No parole. No hope. No option that a man, even a young man, might be turned around and have a possibility of joining society again. A wonderful bunch of people there, huh?

Some people don’t deserve another chance. So to simply decry a life sentance without parole is silly. I’m not a death penalty advocate by any means, nor am I a fan/hater of Texas. This is a good step. What would you prefer? That Texas try to rehab people like Jeffry Dahmer? And you can try to go off on a tangent and say that that is not who they are putting in prison for life, but to have no way of keeping people who need to be kept away from the rest of society makes no sense.

 

[Orogeny]

Richardols:

Is it? I say “To **** with Texas!” The state with a bloodlust so great that it has executed more people than did the Inquisition and which has executed more people than any other state in the Union.

I actually pack a cooler on the rare occasions when I must go to Texas. I wouldn’t spend a nickel in that death-loving place.

No parole. No hope. No option that a man, even a young man, might be turned around and have a possibility of joining society again. A wonderful bunch of people there, huh?

Nice, rational comment there, pal.

Peace

Tim

 

[mercygate]

78% + 75% = 153%

What kind of arithmetic is that?

 

[Thekla]

Richardols:

Is it? I say “To **** with Texas!” The state with a bloodlust so great that it has executed more people than did the Inquisition and which has executed more people than any other state in the Union.

I actually pack a cooler on the rare occasions when I must go to Texas. I wouldn’t spend a nickel in that death-loving place.

No parole. No hope. No option that a man, even a young man, might be turned around and have a possibility of joining society again. A wonderful bunch of people there, huh?

I believe that Texas has a history of putting to death the mentally ill and the mentally retarded. Anything that will give juries an option OTHER than death is a good one. My guess is that many people have been put to death because the jury did not want to see them ever go free; it was a terrible choice they were given.

From what I’ve seen of the Texas legal system, they do an appalling job of representing defendants and have a terrible appeals process. There is not a doubt in my mind that Texas has put to death people innocent people. This reform is just one of many things that need to be done.

 

[pnewton]

Orogeny:

Nice, rational comment there, pal.

FYI - I reported his post to the moderators. Not everyone is blessed with the privilege of living here where at least we are raised with manners.

I for one am glad to see the option. (life without parole), if I may actually address the thread.

 

[Orogeny]

pnewton:

FYI - I reported his post to the moderators. Not everyone is blessed with the privilege of living here where at least we are raised with manners. I for one am glad to see the option.

Amen!

Peace

Tim

 

[puzzleannie]

this is one piece of pro-choice legislation I heartily endorse. down here we are called for jury duty at least once a year and this is a very real issue. since the justice system is imperfect, and more so in Texas than anywhere else, there has to be some kind of choice for capital crimes than the death penalty. It is widely believed that in the near future the law will be changed again to reinstate the 40 yr parole option. some high publicity cases of parents brutally murdering their children, and children brutally murdering grandparents or parents have raised emotions regarding the death penalty. To be consistent with Catholic teaching on the death penalty, the life without parole option has to be available.

 

[Lisa_N]

Richardols:

Is

No parole. No hope. No option that a man, even a young man, might be turned around and have a possibility of joining society again. A wonderful bunch of people there, huh?

The FIRST objective is to protect the INNOCENT from the guilty. If that means life without parole, so be it. Quite honestly once this kind of punishment is allowed you will see a decline in the death penalty. Given the Texas record that is a very good thing.

People are very afraid to sentence someone to life when it might mean ten years. We have had several notable murderers who got out on parole and the ink was barely dry before they killed again. Some people need to be kept out of society permanently. I have far more sympathy for the innocent victims than the murderer, why don’t you?

Lisa N

 

[Richardols]

Thekla:

From what I’ve seen of the Texas legal system, they do an appalling job of representing defendants and have a terrible appeals process. There is not a doubt in my mind that Texas has put to death people innocent people. This reform is just one of many things that need to be done.

If you can call it a reform. The denial of any chance of rehabilitation is absolutely unchristian and certainly uncatholic. And, yes, the Texas legal system is a disgrace to American jurisprudence.

Why Catholics who live there can abide that state’s sytem is beyond me.

 

[Richardols]

Lisa N:

The FIRST objective is to protect the INNOCENT from the guilty. If that means life without parole, so be it.

35 or 40 years in the lock-up won’t protect the innocent from that murderer?

 

[yochumjy]

35 or 40 years in the lock-up won’t protect the innocent from that murderer?

35 to 40 years automatically reforms everyone without question?

 

[Richardols]

35 to 40 years automatically reforms everyone without question?

Read my post. Slowly. Where did I say “automatically reforms everyone without question”?

 

[pnewton]

Richardols:

Why Catholics who live there can abide that state’s sytem is beyond me.

That is either your lack of understanding of the Catholic faith or perhaps your blind hatred of all things Texan. I hope you remember your lack of charity next time some one shows contempt for you because of your Catholic Faith.

 

[beckers]

I am very thankful we now have this option. Texans don’t have this blood thirst to kill people. We don’t like to see people commit horrible crimes and then get out after a couple of years. If you murdered someone then yes you should be punished. Why should you get to get out of your punishment for your crime when your victim can’t??? This law gives Texans new options. I bet if you give people a chance and come back 4 to 5 years from now Texas will stop handing out the death pentally as much. I would like to point out that just because they don’t have the option for parole doesn’t mean they are suck with no options. They still have the option to appeal but now you don’t have to rush through the appeals or if new DNA evidence or such comes up worry about that person being killed before everything is looked at. Change comes slow but it’s a start!

Richardols----

People live in this state because of the beauty of the land and the people.This is a very diverse state. You may not agree with our justice system but neither do all the people living in the state. Whats better… leave the state or fight for reform??? I chose to stay and fight for this state to change and to shape it for the next generation. I truely believe that staying to preach the truth instead of giving up IS a catholic value. You can not spread the truth very well if your not in the community.

GOD BLESS EVERYONE!
Beckers

 

[yochumjy]

Richardols:

Read my post. Slowly. Where did I say “automatically reforms everyone without question”?

You said:

35 or 40 years in the lock-up won’t protect the innocent from that murderer?

So, only 35 to 40 years are needed to protect the innocent. Thus, these people must be out of prison. So either they are reformed or you believe them to be too old to kill/hurt anyone. You are, of course, free to explain what you meant, instead of making it so vague that you can blow off all the normal reactions of people that read the post and are forced to come to whatever conclusion makes the most sense to them at the time.

 

[INRI]

Thekla:

I believe that Texas has a history of putting to death the mentally ill and the mentally retarded.

The case you might be referring to was of a man who killed several people then turned the gun on himself but was unsuccessful in killing himself. He was brain-damaged AFTER his rampage, not before.

That being said, I think this law is a good positive step.

I do not see that life without parole doesn’t give people a chance for rehabilitation. They can reform themselves while in prison. And most of the people who would fall under this type of punishment are not exactly the people you want roaming the streets.

If you want to prevent crimes, you must make the consequences of crime bad enough so that it will deter would-be criminals. It is an injustice that murderers are sentenced to 35-40 years and get out in 15 years.

Speaking more generally, I’ve heard it said that Democrats/liberals are the “Mommy” party and that Republicans/conservatives are the “Daddy” party. Based on this case, I think I see why. There are two opposing strains at work here - Justice and Mercy. Both are needed, but each side of the political divide tends to emphasize one to the detriment of the other. The liberals emphasize Mercy and the conservatives emphasize Justice.

The liberals (speaking generally) are the side that tends to emphasize compassion, seeks to help people out, and is more likely to favor a maternalistic/socialistic state that smoothes out the rough edges of life - characteristics one associates with mom. Unfortunately, Mercy without Justice results in soft-headed mushiness that can be taken advantage of by those who are unscrupulous. It leads to the coddling of murders who should be locked away. It leads to abuse of government benefits - the welfare cheats who sit on the government dole for years, living a parasitic existence at the expense of taxpayers. Ultimately, it leads to injustice as those who should be punished, be they individuals or nations, are left to go free and trample on the rights or lives of others.

The conservatives (speaking generally) are the side that tends to emphasize law and order, seeks to have people be independent, and is more likely to favor a libertarian/minimalist state, where people are left to suffer more the consequences of their own actions. Unfortunately, Justice without Mercy results in cruelty, and often tyranny. And it can neglect the real Christian duty to help the less fortunate.

Now you don’t have to read too many of my previous posts to see where I tend to fall, although I am trying to be more merciful. But, for crying out loud, why is it such a hard thing for certain liberal newspapers (i.e. the NYT) to understand that when people are in jail, they cannot victimize the innocent? Why must it expressed as a paradox that the crime rate goes down when the prison population goes up? Don’t they think the two might be related?

Well, we must all must strike a balance, so that we don’t go soft in the head, when our hearts are soft.