Conservatives concerned about the death penalty

Here are opinions selected from the internet explaining generally why some conservatives are concerned about the risk of killing innocent people:

"The DNA era has given us irrefutable proof that our criminal justice system sentences innocent people to die. Evidence we once thought reliable like eyewitness identification is not always accurate. DNA evidence has led to hundreds of exonerations, but it isn’t available in most cases. Despite our best intentions, human beings simply can’t be right 100% of the time. And when a life is on the line, one mistake is one too many."

(Source: Conservatives concerned about the death penalty)

Senator Rand Paul

“Even in the United States where we have the best due process probably in the world, we have probably executed people wrongfully for the death penalty, then found out through DNA testing many people on death row are there inaccurately. And even Republicans have pulled back their beliefs some on death penalty.” Source: “Sen. Paul says no to domestic drones,” CNN, June 12th, 2012

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Rick Santorum

“I felt very troubled about cases where someone may have been convicted wrongly.  DNA evidence definitely should be used when possible.  I agree with the pope that in the civilized world…the application of the death penalty should be limited. 
Source: “Santorum rethinks death penalty stance,” Free Republic, March 22, 2005

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Edward H. Crane, Founder and President, The CATO Institute

“My own view on capital punishment is that it is morally justified, but that the government is often so inept and corrupt that innocent people might die as a result. Thus, I personally oppose capital punishment.”“Politics: The Cato Institute,” Cato Inst., Aug 25, 2003

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John McLaughlin, creator and host of “The McLaughlin Group”

“The biggest government waste: The death penalty. An individual death-penalty case could climb to $100 million, much of it spent at the litigation level.  Source: “TMG Library: Transcripts,” The McLaughlin Group, January 1, 2011



Richard Viguerie

"While the death penalty is supposed to take the life of the guilty, we know that is not always the case. It should have shocked the consciences of conservatives when various government prosecutors withheld exculpatory, or opposed allowing DNA-tested, evidence in death row cases. To conservatives, that should be deemed as immoral as abortion . . . But even when guilt is certain, there are many downsides to the death penalty system.”

Source: When Governments Kill - A conservative argues for abolishing the death penalty.

Conservatives concerned about the Death Penalty is a project from Equal Justice USA

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