Getting Serious

Some blogs like to chronicle the little quirks of life, not that there's anything wrong with that. But we know there are hard-hitting subjects out there that need to be considered. Thank goodness there are blogs with the moxie to tackle them, like Youngstown Moxie's spotlight on the 15th Anniversary of the Lucasville Prison Uprising:

The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio opposes capital punishment under all circumstances because it violates the Constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment. It is administered arbitrarily and unfairly and fails to deter crime or improve public safety.

More often than not, the quality of a defendant's legal representation determines whether or not he or she will be sentenced to death. Most currently sitting on death row could not afford a qualified attorney.

Another determining factor is whether or not a prosecutor on a case decides to pursue capital sentencing. Unfortunately, the race of the victim often determines whether or not the prosecutor will do so.

In September 2007, the United States Supreme Court heard Baze v. Rees, a case challenging the constitutionality of lethal injection procedures used in Kentucky. As a consequence there have been no executions since the end of September and there will almost surely not be any until after the court decides the case.