Not One Innocent Life

Death is a punishment which cannot be reversed. My own philosophical stance is that the death penalty exceeds the scope of state authority, but my pragmatic stance is that we better be damn sure we never execute an innocent person.  As the New York Times reported on Tuesday, Georgia may be on the brink of doing so -- given a refusal by the Supreme Court to hear an appeal in the case:

The inmate, Troy A. Davis, 40, was convicted in 1991 of murdering Mark A. MacPhail, a Savannah police officer. The court’s decision, made without comment or explanation, allows Georgia officials to obtain a new death warrant and schedule the execution, probably in the next few days or weeks.

The case has led to an outpouring of support for Mr. Davis, largely because seven of nine witnesses against him have recanted their testimony, with two claiming that the police had pressured them to testify against him. Prosecutors presented no physical evidence and no murder weapon, and three witnesses have said another man admitted to the murder.

Why is it that cops are often more interested in closing cop-killer cases than in making sure we convict the right person? And don't get me started on "victim's rights."