The host of a TV show discusses the death penalty, using a recent botched execution in Oklahoma as a starting point. They argue that the death penalty is a complex issue that raises difficult and profound questions, including whether it's ever acceptable to execute guilty individuals, and whether it's justifiable to risk executing innocent people. The host notes that the US is one of a few countries that still uses the death penalty, and that it's expensive, potentially kills innocent people, and doesn't deter crime. They also question whether the desire for revenge and punishment justifies the use of the death penalty. Ultimately, the host leaves the question open, but emphasizes the need for a nuanced and thoughtful discussion about the issue.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. A convicted killer from Oklahoma died after a botched execution.
2. The Supreme Court has ruled that the death penalty is constitutional.
3. Britain does not have capital punishment.
4. Before 1965, Britain had a history of using various methods of execution, including boiling people alive and hanging, drawing, and quartering.
5. According to Amnesty International, the US, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and China are responsible for 82% of the world's executions.
6. Recent polls suggest that at least half of the British population would choose to reinstate the death penalty.
7. Since forensic testing began, there have been 312 DNA exonerations in the US.
8. One life in parole is an example of evidence that was once considered airtight but is now viewed as junk science.
9. False convictions are not rare, with statistics suggesting that they may be more common than previously thought.
10. A study by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that 4% of death row inmates are innocent.
11. There is no credible evidence that the death penalty is a deterrent to violent crime.
12. The cost of enforcing the death penalty in California since 1978 has been over $4 billion.
13. The average cost of a death penalty case is millions of dollars, with some estimates suggesting that it costs up to 10 times more to give someone the death penalty than life in prison.
14. Texas governor Rick Perry has overseen the execution of 234 death row inmates, more than any other governor in modern times.