Polls from the 1960's prove that most American's opposed the death penalty. Most western nations had eliminated the death penalty completely or had modified its use. Polls from the 1990's show that 75-80 percent of Americans support the death penalty ( Monk, 252).

Then there are Americans such as Justice Brennan that says the death penalty is "uncivilized," "inhuman," 'inconsistent with' "human dignity" and with "the sanctity of life." He also says that the death penalty "treats the human race as nonhumans, as objects to be toyed with and discarded, that it is uniquely degrading to human dignity and by its very nature, [involves] a denial of the executed perso

In the United States the state of Texas has the most inmates on death row, exceeding more than 300. Texas only executes one for every four that are sentenced to death. In America the ratio is only one for every twenty sentenced to die ( Monk, 255) Even retired Justice Lewis Powell thinks that the death penalty is a waste of time. " 'I have come to think that Capitol Punishment should be abolished.' 'The death penalty' " brings discredit on the whole legal system,' 'Powell said, because the vast majority of death sentences are never carried out" ( Monk, 265).

Even some of the most vicious killers don't get executed quickly. A inmate named Gerald Stano, who in the 1980's admitted to killing more than two dozen women, Thomas Knight who killed a prison guard, and Jesus Scull who burned down a house around two people that he had killed in 1983 are just a few of the vicious killers that are still alive and waiting their execution (Monk, 264).

There is no reason to have as many men sitting on death row if there is no way for us to find a way to execute them. There are men that have been waiting years on death row and are going to have to wait even longer. Like Lewis Powell says capitol punishment should be abolished since the sentences never get carried out. Those that are sentenced to death should just get life since it is cheaper to hold a man in prison for life than it is to execute them.

In another case in Texas two men were convicted for the murder of a deli shop owner who was shot and killed by one bullet. In both Willie Williams and Joseph Nichols punishment phases of their case the prosecutor argued that each of them were the gunmen. Each man had his own punishment phase trial. How can a man be shot by two men and with one bullet? Did the two gunmen pull the trigger on one gun at the same time? Mr. William was executed in January of 1995, just after Bush came to office and Nichols is still on death row (Yardely, 2000). Great system you have there Mr. President. How can Bush say that his capitol punishment system in Texas is fair?

Some common words found in the essay are:
Capitol Punishment, Doug McCray, Jesus Scull, President Bush, Lee Burton, Justice Brennan, Defender Service, Bush Levin's, Dr Grigson, Joseph Nichols, death penalty, capitol punishment, death row, yardely 2000, sentenced die, sentenced life prison, state's system, sentenced death, life prison, sentenced life, americans support, americans support death, texas court cites, support death penalty, yardely 2000 texas,
Approximate Word count = 1854
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)