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About the Story: Her parents were stabbed to death, their throats slashed by a neighbor who came demanding money. That was 12 years ago. Today the convicted murderer is still sitting on death row. California has the longest waiting period for executions than any other state. Now some attorneys are proposing a ballot initiative to speed things up. But will it make a difference? Sam Louie reports. (TRT: 7:17)

: Abolish the Death Penalty Blog; The Brad Blog’s “The Indigo Girls and the Pope Agree: Troy Davis Should Not Be Executed” Article; Department of Justice’s Survey of the Federal Death Penalty System Website; DPIC; Guy’s Blog’s “California’s Death Penalty Redux” Article; Kari Sable’s Punishment: Death Penalty Website; infoplease’s The Death Penalty Worldwide Statistics; Law School Innovation Blog; ProDeathPenalty.com; Steve Sailer’s iSteve Blog’s “The Death Penalty” Article; Wikipedia’s “Capital Punishment” Article; Tags: Animals, Environment, Science & Technology, Water

Waiting for Justice: Executions on Hold

Publish date: December 12, 2007
Last updated: May 2, 2009

Reporter's NOTES

Sam Louie
In California, it takes an average of 17 years to execute a condemned convict—twice the national average. Could this system be improved?

If so, how? Some believe that a constitutional amendment allowing the lower courts to hear some of these death-penalty cases would make a significant impact. Others aren’t so sure and believe that the entire system needs more funding, especially the funding of criminal-defense attorneys who are representing the convicted killers.

Insider Viewpoints

Almost 12 years after my parents’ murder, we are still in the early stages of the first automatic appeal. I am told that the attorneys have been unable to decide on a location for the appeal oral arguments for over two years.

To me, that’s ludicrous! Even with hard DNA evidence, I worry that if a small technical problem is found, not only will the whole process start over, but also our case will go to the back of the line!

California’s death penalty is broken. I think that California needs a large pool of seasoned attorneys who are mandated to handle death-penalty cases.

Californians voted for a death penalty, but with a backlog of over 660 murderers on Death Row, the voters’ wishes don’t seem to matter. Legislators are more interested in protecting the rights of the murderer, forgetting the heinous crimes that put them on Death Row.

Victims live with their loss every day. Victims relive the horror of their loved one’s death every day. Victims wait for the system to work every day.

Jane Bouffard

COMMUNITY VIEWPOINTS

12.13.2007 | 1:01 pm
Your report on “speeding up” executions was completely biased in favor of the death penalty regardless of when it is administered. MANY of us do not want the state to kill for us.

The victim’s family is not, repeat, not entitled to have the state avenge a murder. If it was my family member, I would want them dead, but it would be at my hand–not the state’s.

If the state kills, it is no better than the person who murdered. This point of view was not presented in your program tonight. Why?

B.F. - Rancho Santa Margarita, California

12.13.2007 | 1:00 pm
Death Row prisoners should have ONE appeal, and that’s it. It’s a travesty of justice to go on and on. If there has to be more than one appeal, let those who would have them send money to the courts to pay for these shenanigans.

D.N. - Upland, California

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