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What I would like to see is a % breakdown in relative terms the ratios of white people put to death versus African Americans and Hispanics, using only

Posted by Loyola Oct 20 '09, 08:37

those states where the death penalty applies to Murder 1 cases.
That should show if there is a bias towards members of the minority races receiving the death penalty.
If there is a bias, and said bias can largely be attributed to white defendants having the financial means to fight a potential death penalty, then leaving aside the question on whether you believe the death penalty is moral or not, if such a bias exists, it's impossible not to come to the conclusion that until such bias is eliminated from the judicial system, the fairest and most judicious way forward would be to ban the death penalty until such time as it applies fairly to all people, no matter the colour of your skin, or depth of your wallet.

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[deleted] 4
- Interesting. -- nm - Loyola Oct 20, 08:53 3
  - "Justice Lewis Powell, when asked by his biographer if he wanted to change his vote in any case, replied, "Yes, McCleskey v. Kemp" - Loyola Oct 20, 09:01 2
    - [deleted] 1
      - Maybe this one sticks in his memory because he wrote the majority opinion? -- nm - Roger More Oct 20, 09:05
don't you have to account for the crimes committed as well? If one racial segment commits more capital crimes than obviously they will get the DP more -- nm - Beaker Oct 20, 08:46 2
- That's why I said "in relative terms" - Loyola Oct 20, 08:49 1
  - gotcha. -- nm - Beaker Oct 20, 08:51
I'm more interested in who has public defenders and who has private. -- nm - mara Oct 20, 08:46
if we applied this line of thinking to sentencing for all crimes... holy crap. -- nm - TFox Oct 20, 08:39 4
- [deleted]
- That's not such a bizarre notion. Such arguements were made about DNA testing around the time that was starting to catching on. -- nm - con_carne Oct 20, 08:44
- agreed. There's a similar bias in all prison populations. What are you gonna do, shut down the judicial system? -- nm - loosilu Oct 20, 08:41
- white people do not commit crimes. - groiny Oct 20, 08:40
here's a starting point -- (link) - Roger More Oct 20, 08:39
oh, there's a definite bias. -- nm - loosilu Oct 20, 08:37

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What I would like to see is a % breakdown in relative terms the ratios of white people put to death versus African Americans and Hispanics, using only

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