A man spent 28 years behind bars for a rape and murder he said he didn't commit. The conviction of Donald Eugene Gates, 58, was based largely on the testimony of an FBI forensic analyst. He will be the first D.C defendant who spent significant time in prison to be exonerated based on DNA evidence.
This is why I don't believe in the death penalty. Of course the main reason is because I don't think we should have the power to take a person's life; it should be left in God's hands. But the other reason is because the system is not perfect. There are so many innocent people behind bars. Can you imagine how many people have died that were innocent?
I also think that innocent people wrongly convicted should be compensated if found innocent. At least there should be something to start their lives over again. It is the least that could be done after someone served years behind bars for something they did not do.
Do you believe in the death penalty?
What do you think should be done for people that are found innocent after serving years in prison for something they did not do?
Original Story taken from the Associated Press by Sarah Karush
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2 comments:
I don't believe in the death penalty either. From a ethical standpoint, I just don't believe the government should have the power to take anyone's life. Period. And from an economical standpoint, the whole system of death row and subsequent executions costs us a LOT more than it does to sentence someone to life in prison. I don't have the stats but I remember reading up on it in a Sociology class I took.
Thank God this man was spared!!!
@Niki: Yeah you are correct! It cost a lot more to keep someone on death row. Also, how can we decide to take a man's life? Like who granted us that power. I am glad his life was spared also. I hope that he doesn't hate the world after being in jail for so long for something he did not do. :(
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