This is exactly what happened to Shaka Sankofa. Sankofa was put to death based on the testimony of one witness, who identified him from her car in a parking lot, forty feet away, in the darkness of night, in the shooting of a grocery clerk. No murder weapon was found, and two other credible witnesses say that Sankofa was not the killer; both were employees of the store and came within close contact of the killer on the night of the murder. These witnesses never saw the witness stand (Essence Magazine).

This fact raises questions about Sankofa's court appointed lawyer. In fact, Ronald G. Mock had been disciplined five times by the Texas bar association for "a breakdown in the adversarial system of justice." If Sankofa had a better lawyer would he be a free man? If he could afford one would the other two credible witnesses been on the stand (Essence Magazine).

The death penalty is, certainly, a very controversial issue. Many people are for it, and many people are against it. Throughout the years, society has changed their t

Newsweek. 3 July 2000. Vol. 136 Issue 1, page 30.

"Capital Punishment." World Book Encyclopedia. 1973 edition.

"Legal Lynching." Essence Magazine September 2000: page 236.

"States With No Death Penalty Share Lower Homicide Rates." New York Times 22 September 2000.

does not play a role in the deterrence of crime, why should we needlessly take life away (New York Times)?

A Columbia University report, cites that the poor have inefficient state appointed counsel and that their cases are more likely to be tainted by prosecutorial or law enforcement misconduct. Showing that guilt or innocence is not the main factor, but rich or poor has become the true question behind our blood stained legal system ("Death Penalty").

I have now shown you that the death penalty does not deter crime and that it is economically and racially prejudice. The death penalty does not treat people equally, and innocent people have died because of it. I hope you see, as I do, that the death penalty has no real significant value.

Some common words found in the essay are:
York Times, Death Penalty, Essence Magazine, York Albany, Sankofa Sankofa, Columbia University, President Clinton, death penalty, Ronald Mock, African-American Hispanic, Grand Avenue, york times, essence magazine, stop crime, real significant value, credible witnesses, stand essence, real significant, penalty death, penalty death penalty, homicide rates, death penalty homicide, homicide rate, death penalty death, stand essence magazine,
Approximate Word count = 894
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)