For those of you who were not following the story, a man named Troy Davis was executed in Georgia today.
It was on the NBC nightly news. His cause had been taken up by Amnesty International and many other notables.
I admit I did not read the trial transcript, but according to NBC news, his prosecution was based on eyewitness testimony. No weapon was found, and and 7 of the 9 witnesses recanted after the trial. I find that sobering.
I often ponder my position on the death penalty. I will go ahead and be honest, even though this may sound slightly politically incorrect to some: I think there are times when the death penalty is warranted. Adolf Hitler comes to mind. In fact, I’ve got a little list, and “they’d none of them be missed.”
However, when I say that I believe the death penalty is occasionally warranted, I will also immediately say this: I have serious misgivings about giving the power of life and death to the same people who bring us things like income tax forms, the debt ceiling debate, and your local DMV. They don't impress me with their competence.
The discussion can’t just be about the heinousness of the crime. It must also be about our collective ability to administer such harsh final justice in a precise, fair, humble, and rational manner. Yes, I believe the death penalty is occasionally warranted, but in saying that I also recognize that some cases, like that of Troy Davis, show we do not have the political and judicial capability to handle that power properly. The process has to be mistake-free, and no human institution can claim to be such.
The slightest possibility of an innocent man being killed by the state makes my blood run cold. It never stops at just one. If you can employ the power of the state to legally kill one innocent human being, you can employ the power of the state to kill twenty million. If you think that is hyperbole on my part, you have never studied 20th century history.
© Justin Locke
