Reader Comments on Death Penalty Issue

Christopher K:

Against the death penalty: It tells the world what 
is deeply valued in the American Dream and Soul. At present we tell the world we 
choose murder to solve our most difficult problems. Our "culture of death" 
extends to the unborn, the terminally ill, the politically opposed and the to 
the criminal (the one individual who would dare, for any reason, act like our 
government does today). When will our leadership take control and say "The value 
of each life is too great for us to deliberately waste it in an act of terror as 
shameful as the act for which one is being punished".
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Susannah K:

As I was researching for a paper I am writing on whether or not the
death penalty is an effective deterrent for crime, I came across your
webpage on BalancedPolitics.org.  I must confess, your site was
exactly what I had been searching for, but I found an error.  You
state that DNA testing almost 100% of the time rules out room for
error, but I think you should also add the following points.  Often
times, wrong DNA samples are picked up.  It is not necessarily the
case that all the DNA samples at a crime scene are that of the
murderer.  While taking a course on Genetics this summer at the John's
Hopkins CTY program, we learned about the myriad errors that forensic
investigators often make, but lazy prosecutors overlook in their
attempt to prosecute as quickly as possible.  I hope that you will
look into this because it is a common misunderstanding that DNA
matching is the end all of an investigation, but this is far from
true.
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Daniel P:

In response to the reader about DNA statistics.  The one percent that your article
has mentioned is a very large number.  DNA is taking away the chances of convicting
an innocent person.  There is no such thing, as a "perfect crime."  And today's 
technologies in crime fighting have come along ways, even since the infamous 
Simpson trial, there has been improvements in the way evidence is gathered for 
DNA investigations. 
  
Yes I'm a supporter of the death penalty.  It would solve a lot of problems, including 
over population in our prison systems.

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B.A.:

I read your wonderful website and thought you may be interested in this 
story. After I read this book Journey Toward Justice. I am now my own Journey 
Toward Justice. I  feel the more people know about these issues maybe some 
things will change. At one time I wrote this about the book I read. Who And 
Where Is Dennis Fritz, You  may say after reading John Grisham's Wonderful Book 
"The Innocent man", Grisham's First non-fiction book. The Other Innocent Man 
hardly mentioned in "The Innocent Man" has his own compelling and fascinating 
story to tell in "Journey Toward Justice". John Grisham endorsed Dennis Fritz's 
Book on the Front Cover. Dennis Fritz wrote his Book Published by Seven Locks 
Press, to bring awareness about False Convictions, and The Death Penalty. 
"Journey Toward Justice" is a testimony to the Triumph of the Human Spirit and 
is a Stunning and Shocking Memoir. Dennis Fritz was wrongfully convicted of 
murder after a swift trail. The only thing that saved him from the Death Penalty 
was a lone vote from a juror. "The Innocent Man" by John Grisham is all about 
Ronnie Williamson, Dennis Fritz's was his co-defendant. Ronnie Williamson was 
sentenced to the Death Penalty. Both were exonerated after spending 12 years in 
prison. Both Freed by a simple DNA test, The real killer was one of the 
Prosecution's Key Witness. John Grisham's "The Innocent Man" tells half the 
story. Dennis Fritz's Story needs to be heard. Read about how he wrote hundreds 
of letters and appellate briefs in his own defense and immersed himself in an 
intense study of law. He was a school teacher and a ordinary man from Ada 
Oklahoma, whose wife was brutally murdered in 1975. On May 8, 1987 while raising 
his young daughter alone, he was put under arrest and on his way to jail on 
charges of rape and murder. Since then, it has been a long hard road filled with 
twist and turns. Dennis Fritz is now on his "Journey Toward Justice". He never 
blamed the Lord and solely relied on his faith in God to make it through. He 
waited for God's time and never gave up.