Ex-governor White urges rethink of death penalty

[AlphaCentauri]

Source: AP


A former Texas governor says it's time for the state to rethink the death penalty.

Mark White was involved with 20 executions as a state attorney general and governor. In an interview with the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News, the veteran Democrat says the death penalty no longer deters murder.

He says the long delays between convictions and executions means there is no swift justice. He also says he's increasingly concerned that the law isn't administered fairly and that the risk of putting innocent people to death is too great.


Read more: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D9BE686G2.html

[LiberalFighter]

1. Considering that Perry has had more executions than Bush

the death penalty doesn't appear to work.

[Art_from_Ark]

7. Is that true?

Perry has authorized more than 152 executions? Because that's how many lives bu$h signed away while he was sitting in the governor's mansion.

[LiberalFighter]

10. Yes. On June 2, 2009 number 200 was being executed during Perry's term.

[mvd]

2. And so do I

:thumbsup:

[David Zephyr]

3. As always...after they leave office and no longer have any power, they make these statements.

Mark White can kiss my ass.

[sonias]

5. Why the personal dislike of White?

He certainly wasn't running the killing machine full-bore like Bush and Perry. But the death penalty was in force during his term in office.

White defeated republican incumbent Bill Clements for Governor. He also beat James A. Baker (yea that same bush ass man)for Texas A.G. in 1978.

Ann Richards beat White in the Democratic primary in 1990 and became the next Governor after White. Unfortunately Ann was not anti-death penalty either. That is the unfortunate realty of Texas. Both Ds and Rs support the death penalty.

Just saying.

Sonia

[happyslug]

6. He was governor over 20 years ago, he is running to be mayor of Houston

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_White

And the longer Houston paper article that the above stub is based on:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6673921.html
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/6674472.html

[PDittie]

9. White's not on the ballot and the election is underway

Early voting began yesterday. I live in H-Town. White isn't running and he isn't IN the running for mayor.

[winyanstaz]

4. Even so...it is good he is speaking out about it...

It is always a bad sign of things to come when the government gives itself the right to execute citizens...even the bad ones.
Once they kill an innocent..there is no way to restore them to life.
Far better to just keep the violent offenders locked up forever and throw away the key.

[No Elephants]

8. The death penalty "no longer" deters murders?

[fascisthunter]

11. it never has deterred murder

it's expensive, faulty and morally dispicable.