Is it time for Oregon to repeal the death penalty




A week ago today, Governor Bill Richardson signed a bill that repealed New
Mexico's death penalty. From CNN.com:

"Regardless of my personal opinion about the death penalty, I do not have
confidence in the criminal justice system as it currently operates to be
the final arbiter when it comes to who lives and who dies for their
crime," Richardson said in a statement Wednesday.

He noted that more than 130 death row inmates have been exonerated in the
past 10 years, including 4 in New Mexico.

"Faced with the reality that our system for imposing the death penalty can
never be perfect, my conscience compels me to replace the death penalty
with a solution that keeps society safe," he said.

The death penalty throughout history has been doled out for crimes from
murder, treason, stealing horses, being a witch, marrying a Jew or being a
bad slave. Executions were performed by crucifixion, drowning, stoning,
burning alive, firing squad, hanging, and the more "modern" electric
chair
and lethal injection. The death penalty has been unevenly handed out
throughout modern history to minorities, poor people and others who cannot
afford an OJ Simpson defense.

According to the Department of Corrections, there are over 30 people on
Oregon's death row. The youngest person is 30, the oldest is 44. This is
Oregon's 4th incarnation of the death penalty; it having been voted out
twice and thrown out by the Oregon Supreme Court once. Our state uses
lethal injection. This process has 3 steps: putting the inmate to sleep,
stopping the heart, then finally, the breathing. Washington state still
hangs people, Utah offers a firing squad option and nine others use
electrocution.

New Mexico is the 15th state to make the move against capital punishment.
Is it time for Oregon to be 16th?

(source: Guest Column, Karol Collymore, BlueOregon)