Less Than or Equal to Those Who are Guilty

In her article “It’s Hard Not to Have Death Penalty Doubts,” my colleague Tricia makes her argument that, “If Perry’s financial backers and political allies support the death penalty then he will, too.” Many, along with Tricia, constantly quote how Perry stated that, “he doesn’t lose sleep at night about innocents put to death,” could this be due to the fact that because at the point of an inmate being placed on death row, he/she has gone through all the judicial processes that determine, through judges, attorneys and juries, in order to formulate his/her’s guilt or innocence?
 

The number of innocent prisoners being executed in Texas is equally if not less than that of the number of guilty inmates released back into society. I can’t help but refer to the case of James Ealey, who was convicted of murdering four members of the Parker family back in 1982, then released because the ruling was overturned and then charged and convicted of murdering restaurant manager Mary Hutchinson in 2006. Now, this is gonna sound twisted, but isn’t it better to have executed one who is possibly innocent then to set free one who is possibly guilty, who has the potential to take the lives of those we know are innocent, as with the Ealey case?

As unfairly as it is for innocents to be put to death and guilty parties to go free, I think it equally unfair that people continue to reticule Perry, for doing a job, that the citizens of Texas, place him in office to do. It’s not like Perry himself is acting as judge and jury on any cases coming before Texas courts, so why is Perry constantly blamed when people, thought to be innocent, are put to death?

I have never been shy to admit that I am not a huge Rick Perry fan, however when people try to argue against his stance on the death penalty spouting such things as “Perry, should revamp due process by prioritizing a suspect's proof of innocence before proven guilty,” I’m puzzled.  Due process was ignited to the fullest in the Ealey case, however, he was found guilty and convicted of murdering an innocent woman, after being found innocent of murdering a pregnant woman, her two teen daughters and her 3 year old grandson. Tricia, although I can respect your opinion, I can also advise that you look at it from a different perspective.