Together against the D/P

[mammastalkin]

"A new study by the organization Together Against the Death Penalty examined the status of capital punishment in the U.S. through a series of interviews and visits to death penalty states in 2010."

Read more here.

[julesbabes2013]

this is great information thanks !

[mammastalkin]

It shows very well that those that don't have the capital get capital punishment. Two forms of justice in the US--one for the poor and one for those that can pay for representation.

[thegreatdoubter]

Indeed,mammastalkin....by the way, John Spenkelink, executed by electric chair in Florida in 1979 (notorious for being the first inmate to be 'involuntarily executed' in the USA in the post-Furman period) also quoted that 'capital punishment means those without the capital get the punishment.'

The issue of substandard representation for indigent defendants in capital trials is particularly prominent in the southern part of the USA- could I ask,mammastalkin, what is the relevant situation like in your home state of Delaware?

[mammastalkin]

It's similar to other states that have the d/p. DE does have a public defenders office and they are caring, hard working folks. But the office is understaffed and not well funded. I think the biggest difference is that the DA's here are not so crazy. They have some sense of responsibility. Even a terrible crime, if committed by a seriously mentally ill person, is not d/p appropriate. There is no wild west attitude here but DE has it's share of racism.