CAPITAL PUNISHMENT: CRUELTY AND COST

Stewart A. Alexander
National Membership Campaign Coordinator
Peace and Freedom Party

December 24, 2006

The recent execution of Angel Nieves Diaz in Jacksonville, Florida has outraged opponents of capital punishment nationwide due to the unusual length of time of the procedure and the apparent pain and suffering Angel Diaz appeared to experience.

The procedure of executing an inmate by lethal injection normally will take 15 minutes, however the execution of Angel Diaz took 34 minutes. Witnesses said Mr. Diaz suffered unduly. To complete the execution Mr. Diaz required a second dose of the lethal chemicals and some witnesses said the whole process appeared to be torture.

Governor Jeb Bush has asked prison officials to investigate the execution, to conduct an autopsy and to interview witnesses to determine if the execution procedure was flawed. Mr. Diaz was executed for killing a Miami topless bar manager 27 years ago; he was 55 years old.

Stewart Alexander, with the Peace and Freedom Party, says, “The whole process of capital punishment is flawed and the PFP wants federal legislation to band capital punishment in all 50 states; too many mistakes have been made, it’s cruel and inhumane.”

Within the past 18 months California has had similar problems with lethal injection where mistakes have been made; the execution of Stanley “Tookie” Williams. The procedure of injecting Mr. Williams did not occur without Mr. Williams appearing to suffer pain and discomfort.

In California U.S. District Judge Jeremy Fogel has imposed a temporary ban on executions by lethal injection and the judge stated California’s implementation of lethal injection is broken. California has had a temporary moratorium on executions since early 2006 when Michael Morales was scheduled to be executed and physicians declined to participate in the procedure.

Over the years the number of prisoners on death row nationwide has grown to incredible numbers with over 650 on death row in California, the nation’s highest. Most death row inmates will spend 20 to 25 years behind bars before being executed.

The cost for these prisoners has also grown for tax payers considering court cost, the cost for housing death row inmates, appeals and executions; it is costing tax payers tens of billions nationwide. The average, for each prisoner on death row, will cost U.S. tax payers more than $150 million, and in California the cost is as much as a quarter of a billion dollars. “Killing prisoners is big, big business in America” says Alexander.

The Peace and Freedom Party has been a strong opponent to capital punishment in the 40 years of the party’s existence. Within recent years a majority of Americans are opposed to capital punishment and the practice has been banned and condemned by many nations within the international community.

For more information search the Web for: Death Penalty, $250 Million Tax Burden.

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stewartalexander4paf@ca.rr.com