Dallas Morning News Opposes Death Penalty

Opponents of the death penalty have just gained a powerful new ally. Yesterday, the Dallas Morning News changed its editorial opinion and came out against the death penalty. This is important because the Morning News is not only one of the largest newspapers in the state, its editorial board is generally regarded as one of the most conservative.

This new and important voice against the death penalty does not come from the liberal end of the political spectrum (where there are many death penalty opponents). No one could accuse the Dallas Morning News of having any liberal tendencies. In the past, the Morning News has been one of the staunchest supporters of the death penalty.

Why did they change their position? It has to do with the imperfection of our system of justice. While we may have one of the better systems of justice in this country, it is far from perfect.

We have always known that innocent men (and women) are sometimes convicted and sent to prison. But with the advent of DNA evidence, we are finding that it is far more common than we once believed. It is no longer an unusual occurrence to hear about an innocent man being released from prison.

The DMN points out that at least 13 innocent people have been released from Texas prisons in the recent past. They also point to the case of Carlos De Luna, who was executed even though the evidence now shows he was probably innocent.

The DMN believes (as I do) that the state has the obligation to protect its citizens from violent offenders - especially those who may re-offend in a violent way. But since the passage of "life without parole", we now have an option other than the death penalty.

The DMN points out that the death penalty is not reversible once it has been carried out. They also point out that any system of justice run by human beings is going to be imperfect, because humans are imperfect. That means there will always be instances of innocent people being convicted. Because of these two facts, they have come out in opposition of the death penalty.

I agree with them, but I would also point out that it is not just the imperfection in humans that is at fault - it is also the glaring imperfection of our society in general. Like it or not, the following facts are true and have an effect on our system of justice:

Rich people and poor people are treated differently.

White people and minorities are treated differently.

Men and women are treated differently.

Straights and Gays are treated differently.

Natural-born and naturalized citizens are treated differently.

As long as the above facts are evident in our society, we have no business executing people. Our justice system is not only imperfect, it is inherently unfair. The Dallas Morning News editorial is right - it is time for Texas to stop using the death penalty.