Today's Austin American-Statesman carries the editorial, "It's hard not to have death penalty doubts."
We're hard-pressed to recall a more memorable presidential debate moment that didn't involve anything said by one of the candidates. It happened Wednesday during the GOP debate at the Reagan Presidential Library, and it involved something the moderator said and something the audience did.
"Governor Perry," NBC's Brian Williams said to our governor, "a question about Texas. Your state has executed 234 death row inmates (since Perry took office), more than any other governor in modern times. Have you ... "
And before Williams could transition from predicate to question the audience spontaneously applauded the facts about Texas and the death penalty.
Moments later, asked by Williams about the applause, Perry said, "I think Americans understand justice. I think Americans are clearly, in the vast majority of cases, supportive of capital punishment. When you have committed heinous crimes against our citizens — and it's a state-by-state issue, but in the state of Texas, our citizens have made that decision, and they made it clear, and they don't want you to commit those crimes against our citizens."
And:
In defending the Texas death penalty, Perry said at the debate, "if you come into our state and you kill one of our children, you kill a police officer, you're involved with another crime and you kill one of our citizens, you will face the ultimate justice in the state of Texas, and that is you will be executed."
That is well understood. But the responsibility that places on Texas also must be understood. Our governor says he has lost no sleep over the notion that Texas might have executed an innocent person. We hope his sound sleep is justified, but it's hard not to have doubts.
Earlier commentary on Governor Perry's capital punishment comments begins at the link.
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