Your Wallin & Klarich Riverside murder defense lawyers explain to you the reasons why the Death Penalty in California must be abolished.
Whether there should be a death penalty for certain crimes is a question that undoubtedly stretches back to the start of human civilization. In California the death penalty still exists to this day despite compelling reasons to abolish it. The arguments in favor of the death penalty and the problems with those arguments will be discussed below.
The most often cited argument in favor of the death penalty is that the threat of execution deters would be killers more so than the threat of life in prison. In theory this may sound like a solid argument in favor of the death penalty. In reality, however, the vast majority of empirical date suggests that the threat of death penalty is no more of a deterrent than the threat of life in prison. As a matter of fact, states with the death penalty as a whole do not have lower murder rates than non death penalty states.
Proponents of the death penalty also argue that with DNA testing and other modern law enforcement techniques almost all uncertainty can be lifted as to a person’s guilt or innocence. The problem with this argument is that not all death penalty cases involve DNA evidence. Even with the advancement in law enforcement’s forensic capabilities, death penalty cases often times rely on eyewitness testimony which is inherently suspect and other evidence that is not foolproof. Simply stated, there is no 100% guarantee that the person who is to be executed is in fact guilty of that crime. Is it worse to execute one innocent person or let 100 guilty persons go free? What if you or a loved one was that one innocent person?
Death penalty supporters will also argue that the death penalty brings justice and closure to the victim’s family. The fact of the matter is that nothing, not even execution of the person who murdered your loved one, will ever bring your loved one back. The death penalty is simply a form of state-sponsored revenge that is unsustainable in its cost. It costs much more to execute a prisoner than to keep him or her in prison for life due to the endless appeals that death penalty inmates are afforded. The lawyer costs and court costs alone are astronomical.
Regardless of the many arguments against the death penalty in California, it remains in effect today. If you or a loved one is facing murder charges in California you will need the help of an aggressive and experienced murder defense firm like Wallin & Klarich. The California criminal defense attorneys at Wallin & Klarich have over 30 years of experience defending clients facing all types of criminal charges. If you or a loved one has been accused of a crime in California, please call the Riverside murder defense lawyers at Wallin & Klarich today at 888-280-6839 to receive our immediate assistance. We’ll be there when you call.
