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Additional Commentary on Skinner v. Switzer

By Steve Hall

Today's Austin American-Statesman carries the editorial, "Win for death penalty advocates." The U.S. Supreme Court, in a 6-3 decision Monday, provided a significant victory for death penalty supporters by ruling in favor of a condemned Texas man battling for post-conviction testing of DNA evidence gathered at a grisly, triple-slaying crime scene in Pampa. At the heart of this case is the fundamental question ? indeed, the only question ? that permeates every death penalty case and every execution: Are we sure we've got the right person? Death penalty advocates, and we are not among those, should live with the perpetual fear of conclusive post-execution evidence that raises serious questions about guilt. That is why, as we noted in an editorial last March on the eve of the day on which he was to be executed, death penalty advocates should want the courts to give Hank Skinner the chance to make sure the state has the right man in the Pampa slayings...continue to full post

Full post as published by StandDown Texas Project on March 09, 2011 (boomark / email).