Monday, January 29, 2007
"Life" means life
When the legislature does something right, we need to get all over it. These folks work hard and they catch the dickens, especially from me, whenever something goes wrong. It is, therefore, a positive development to note a proposal to limit gubernatorial clemency and pardons in cases where a jury has already imposed a sentence of life without parole. This is an assurance to a jury that the defendant will serve his time and, there is no need to impose the death penalty.
Governor Huckabee did a lot of harm to the system with his frequent tampering with jury-imposed sentences. Might I make a suggestion? Lawmakers should remember that the judicial system makes mistakes. It occasionally happens that a person is convicted of a crime and is later proven to be innocent.
Although courts can provide relief, the power of the governor to correct obvious miscarriages of justice is an important safeguard. That power can be kept in place while bad guys are kept in prison.
Of course, many convicted felons change in prison. That is why we call them “penal” institutions. It is a place to be punished. In any case serious enough to get a life sentence, punishment is deserved and serves a wholesome purpose. I think the legislature is on the right track.
(Broadcast January 26, 2007)
Governor Huckabee did a lot of harm to the system with his frequent tampering with jury-imposed sentences. Might I make a suggestion? Lawmakers should remember that the judicial system makes mistakes. It occasionally happens that a person is convicted of a crime and is later proven to be innocent.
Although courts can provide relief, the power of the governor to correct obvious miscarriages of justice is an important safeguard. That power can be kept in place while bad guys are kept in prison.
Of course, many convicted felons change in prison. That is why we call them “penal” institutions. It is a place to be punished. In any case serious enough to get a life sentence, punishment is deserved and serves a wholesome purpose. I think the legislature is on the right track.
(Broadcast January 26, 2007)
