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Biden Fails a Death Penalty Abolitionist’s Most Important Test

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The mystery of Joe Biden’s views about capital punishment has finally been solved. His decision to grant clemency to 37 of the 40 people on federal death row shows the depth of his opposition to the death penalty. And his decision to leave three of America’s most notorious killers to be executed by a future administration shows the limits of his abolitionist commitment. The three men excluded from Biden’s mass clemency—Dylann Roof, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, and Robert Bowers—would no doubt pose a severe test of anyone’s resolve to end the death penalty. Biden failed that test.
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Why Wood's execution should trouble death penalty fans

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Arizona Death Chamber
Whether you agree with the death penalty or not it should bother you that it took the murderer Joseph Wood almost two hours to die, gasping for air during his execution.

Whether you agree with the death penalty or not it should bother you that Gov. Jan Brewer immediately promised a review of the procedure and simultaneously appeared to clear the Department of Corrections of any wrongdoing.

Shortly after Wood was declared dead Brewer's office sent out statement that read in part, "While justice was carried out today, I directed the Department of Corrections to conduct a full review of the process. One thing is certain, however, inmate Wood died in a lawful manner and by eyewitness and medical accounts he did not suffer."

Whether or not you agree with the death penalty it should bother you that the governor directed the DOC to do an investigation of … the DOC.

Whether you agree or not with the governor's conclusion that Wood "did not suffer," it should bother you that she said as much before any investigation was conducted, something noted by Federal Judge Neil Wake when he was asked to stop the execution while it was ongoing.

Whether or not you believe a cold-blooded killer like Wood should suffer it should bother you that some people seem willing to toss out the U.S. Constitution's protection against "cruel and unusual punishment."

Because that applies to everyone who comes in contact with the justice system.


Source: Arizona Central, EJ Montini, July 28, 2014
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