Our justice system is like an iceberg. The surface: the data widely known by the public. The awkward part right in the middle: the information we have access to but don’t see unless we really look into it. The bottom: the part underneath the water. The part no one can see. The part that has drowned boats, leaving many lives in danger.
The events that have occurred lately have really shined a light on different aspects of the justice system, particularly the death penalty. In 2020, eighteen death row inmates were executed: John Steven Gardner, Donnie Cleveland Lance, Abel Revill Ochoa, Nicholas Todd Sutton, Nathaniel Woods, Walter Barton, Billy Joe Wardlow, Daniel Lewis Lee, Wesley Ira Purkey, Dustin Lee Honken, Lezmond Charles Mitchell, Keith Dwayne Nelson, William Emmett LeCroy, Jr, Christopher Andre Vialva, Orlando Cordia Hall, Brandon Bernard, Alfred Bourgeois, and Dustin Higgs.
59% of these people were issued to die by the government. Nathaniel Woods, who is black, was convicted of murder yet never fired the murder weapon nor any weapon. Brandon Bernard, who is also black, was convicted of murder. He was 18 years old and played a very small part in his gang. One of his friends murdered a pastor and his wife, and Brandon had to cover up the evidence. He was never the one to pull the trigger. After he was convicted, pathologists confirmed he wasn’t responsible for killing anyone. Walter Barton, who is white, was convicted of murder despite the vast amount of evidence proving his innocence. Dustin Higgs, who is black, sat in a vehicle nearby while Willis Mark Haynes shot three women. Willis was sentenced to 45 years in prison meanwhile Higgs was given the death sentence.
I am not going to lie, many people sentenced to death have been guilty. This is why it is very important to understand all points of view on this matter. John Steven Gardner was executed for domestic violence. Nicholas Todd Sutton was eliminated for killing three people including his grandmother. Lezmond Charles Mitchell was convicted of murdering a child and her grandmother. Many believe that these people were just too dangerous to have in the world and that they needed to be punished extremely for what they have done. I agree that they do need to be punished, but how can you punish death with death? If someone has committed murder, then does it make it right to murder him or her in turn? Doesn’t that make the person injecting the poison or turning on the electric chair or deciding that someone needs to be executed as a killer in a way?
When you are a part of someone's execution, you are a part of taking away his or her life. Therefore, any chance they have to prove that they are innocent is thrown away. Countless inmates could have proven they did not deserve what they had coming. Besides, when you put someone to death you are letting that person escape. Putting that person in prison for life shows the same level of justice as murdering someone would, but in that case, you are not murdering someone. To me, it sounds almost just as painful to be stuck in a cell, not having the ability to leave as it is to be killed.
Taking a person’s life, in my eyes, is wrong no matter what. You can’t bring justice to the criminal by becoming one. Let the people who have truly done something unforgivable be sentenced to life in prison, and let those who have evidence of their innocence have another chance to live. Everyone deserves to breathe.
If you want to see where I got all of my information check out The Death Penalty Information Center https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/executions/2020
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