Death Records Now

im doing a project for english, and i wanted to see other peoples aspects on this peice of text.

There are serious economic consequences. Various state governments estimate that a single death penalty case, from the point of arrest to execution, ranges from $1 million to $3 million per case. Other studies have estimated the cost to be as high as $7 million. The millions of dollars spent on capital punishment cuts into resources for other community interests, such as schools, hospitals, public safety, and jobs. For example, Taxpayers in Florida are spending an average of $2.3 million on each execution which is over six times what it would cost for life without parole. In addition, New York brought back the death penalty in 1995, even though the department of corrections estimated that it would cost over $2 million per case and approximately $118 million annually. That same year, state leaders complained that there was a budget shortfall and made dramatic cuts in funding for public higher education and health care. Similarly, New Jersey spent $16 million to impose the death penalty. The next year, the state laid off 500 police officers because they could not afford to pay them.

The death penalty should be abolished because it involves a heightened risk or error. The risks of inaccurate judgment have been elevated because the death penalty has become a politicized issue that is commonly used in campaigns for judges and district attorneys who are elected to their positions. Those judges and prosecutors are motivated to sentence as many defendants to death as they possibly can to maintain a record of being “tough on crime.” Also, due to the high emotions surrounding murder cases, there is great pressure on law enforcement officials to solve homicides quickly. Such pressure may lead to misconduct by the investigators and prosecutors. In addition, murders frequently lack eyewitnesses, forcing the prosecutors to use less reliable sources for evidence, such as jailhouse snitches, accomplices looking for reduced sentences and coerced confessions from defendants. Because of these high risks there have been recent cases of mistaken execution or conviction. Leo Jones was convicted of murdering a police officer in Jacksonville, Florida on March 28, 1998. Jones signed a confession after several hours of police interrogation, but he later claimed the confession was coerced. In the mid-1980s, the policeman who arrested Jones and the detective who took his confession were forced out of uniform for ethical violations. The policeman was later identified by a fellow officer as an "enforcer" who had used torture. Furthermore, Texas executed Jesse Jacobs on January 4, 1995 despite the prosecution’s admission that arguments they made at Jacobs’ trial were false. Jacobs was convicted after the state introduced evidence that he, rather than his co-defendant, pulled the trigger on the day of the murder. At the following trial of the co-defendant, the state reversed its story and said it was the co-defendant, not Jacobs, who pulled the trigger. The prosecution vouched for the credibility of Jacobs’ testimony that he did not commit the shooting and did not even know that his co-defendant had a gun. Jacobs’ co-defendant was also convicted, but not sentenced to death.

The death penalty should not be allowed in this country. We have the resources to keep society safe from criminals, so, it is unnecessary to have such an inhuman and degrading punishment. This punishment does not deter crime. Giving in to it wastes essential money that destroys our economy. And, there also might be some reasonable doubt to someone’s guilt. The death penalty should be abolished.

In brief, the reading is someone’s opinion, against capital punishment, i.e., where states can administer the death penalty to convicted felons. (ie, murderers).

It says that the state should not have the power to do, what it will punish a criminal for doing. It also says that states will pay MORE for the "justice system", i.e, court costs to convict such a felon, more than would be paid, if the court system ONLY went to give "life" imprisonment.

That is, those who get the death penalty have more "overhead costs", paper work, more investigation and documentation required, than someone that is only going to be sent to prison say for 20-40 yrs, or a simple "life imprisonment" sentence.

These facts are computed from thousands of such cases. Jury trials are expensive, and there are more hours of lawyer costs in capital punishment cases.
Do you know what lawyers charge? Know how much money "expert" witnesses charge the state?

Taxpayers foot the bill (pay) for every murder case. But with a "capital case" conviction there are many more appeals and reviews. Likewise these cases get more publicity, and that means that prosecutors have to be more careful, not to mess up too.

To Whom It May Concern:

Being a veteran of the World’s greatest military, as many of you are I would expect you to hold integrity to yourself when hearing my story.

On or about the month of December 2004 I was hired on by the Missouri Department of Corrections at Moberly Correctional Center . While I was there I came in contact with a female employee whom I befriended. On or about March 2005 she and I left with our group to attend the training academy in Jefferson City, while there I made some decisions that did not hold up to my character. On several occasions during after duty hours I consumed alcohol with this particular female. However approximately the third week of training the last one of these occasions occurred with the end result of me being accused of sexual assault and terminated from my employment due to her allegations. The Department of Corrections states that I was terminated for bad conduct for consuming alcohol and being late for class (1day late due to illness & the only other day was the day after the alleged allegation). When I was terminated I appealed this decision because I felt I was being discriminated against however my appeal was denied. Given the facts this other female Individual was consuming alcohol just as often as I was and that she was late to class as often as I, their decision was to allow her to keep her employment but terminate mine. I am under the impression that they believe I actually committed these accusations therefore terminating me for sexual assault, if they were to honestly terminate me for bad conduct for the consumption of alcohol they would have terminated this female individual as well. Regardless of what the Department of Corrections may have in their records they were aware of her actions while in the training academy. I have a letter signed by the Macon County Victims Advocate dated February 7, 2007 which states quote “ I made several telephone calls to law enforcement in Jefferson City and was told upon investigation the overall feeling was that Ms. XXXX made the accusation in order to keep from getting in trouble with her employer for drinking while in training and having relations with a fellow correction officer” this letter also states “ Ms. XXXX had a history of making false allegations in Macon County ”. I have attached this letter.

After this incident I filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity but did not follow through due to family emergencies and I had also contacted the State Reps., State Senate, Director of State, the Division Director of Department of Corrections and Superintendant of Moberly Correctional Center their decisions stood final. I also seeked counsel from an attorney in Macon County who wanted much more than I could afford being a single father with 2 children at that time. It wasn’t until recently that I applied for a position as a law enforcement officer with the Travis County Sheriffs Department in Austin , Texas and found that because of the mark on my employment record I would not be able to obtain the position I was longing for. My criminal record is clean, I have many accredited hours in Criminal Justice, I am only being held back from doing what I want to, do due to false accusations from an unbalanced young lady. I am coming forward to all of you in the hopes of clearing my employment record.

As giving my all but death to this country as a 6 year veteran with an Honorable Discharge from the Navy, and currently on active duty with the California Air National Guard, I do believe I deserve better than this. I have been respectful to my Commander in Chief, to the State of Missouri and have always maintained honesty and integrity. I would only hope after reading this story you too would uphold your integrity and ask yourself, does this young man deserve such a tainted mark upon his employment record? If you honestly do not think so what could you do, given the office and position that you hold? Thank You for your time.

Very Respectfully,

Joshua S. Yount

Senior Airman United States Air Force

Dear Mr. Yount:

Thank you for contacting Lt. Governor Kinder’s office concerning your employment with the Department of Corrections. We will do our best to be of service to you.

In response to your request for assistance, I contacted the Department of Corrections. We have asked that your situation be reviewed at the state level and that you receive every consideration allowed to you under the law.

The Department should contact you soon. If you have additional questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call our office at (573) 751-4727.

Sincerely,
Bill Fix
Assistant Director of Communications
Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder

Try the links below and watch the online movie presentations. This can be used nationwide and in Canada. If you have any questions, please contact me. I hope this helps.