The governor has taken a very courageous step into the future by not wanting to participate in State-Sponsored Homicides.
Slowly the tide to abolish the death penalty is creating new converts. It is a well-established fact that this punishment is not a deterrent to violent crimes nor does it diminish the pain of the victims’ families. It is also clear that this penalty is mostly used for black people and other people of color who kill a white person. You are more likely to get the death penalty if you are poor and can’t afford a top-notch law firm to represent you. The wealthy are not on death row.
Witness to Innocence a national human rights organization located in Philadelphia has shown that 170 individuals who clearly were innocent were given death sentences.
All elected officials, Religious and community leaders should join the governor in this bold and important step forward.
