VIDEO: Should Maryland Abolish the Death Penalty?
Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger and anti-death penalty advocate Kirk Bloodsworth share their opinions about efforts in Annapolis to repeal the state's capital punishment law.
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Proposed legislation to repeal Maryland's death penalty is scheduled to be heard by state lawmakers in the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee Wednesday afternoon in Annapolis.
Before the hearing, supporters of repeal are set to hold an 11:30 a.m. press conference in the House Office Building with NAACP President Benjamin Todd Jealous and relatives of murder victims. The two bills pending in the Senate and House have 85 co-sponsors between them.
Repeal advocates are expected to argue that years of death penalty appeals torment families of murder victims who otherwise would never hear from a defendant sentenced to life in prison.
Patch caught up with Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger—who supports the death penalty—and Kirk Bloodsworth, the state's leading anti-death penalty advocate, to help frame the debate. (See video.)
Tell us your opinion in comments below.
Both Shellenberger and Bloodsworth offer passionate reasons for their opinions on the death penalty.
Shellenberger said there needs to be an "ultimate punishment" for those who commit certain heinous acts, including the killing of a police officer or the murder of a correctional officer by a prisoner.
"What do you tell the family of a correctional officer when a defendant is already serving life for murder and then they killed your loved one?" Shellenberger said. "There has to be an ultimate penalty."
Bloodsworth served eight years, 10 months and 19 days in prison, including two years on death row, for the 1984 murder of a 9-year-old girl in Rosedale. DNA evidence exonerated him of the crime and Bloodsworth was released from prison in 1993.
"Honestly, after what happened to me, no one can say it can’t happen again..." Bloodsworth said. "We need to get rid of it."
Currently, Maryland has five defendants sitting on death row, including three who have avoided being executed since 1983.
The state has executed five men since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976, the last being Wesley Baker in 2005 for the 1991 murder of grandmother Jane Tyson. She was shot and killed during an armed robbery in a Catonsville parking lot in front of her 6-year-old granddaughter and 4-year-old grandson.
Since Baker's execution, Maryland has established some of the most stringent policies in the country for prosecutors to seek the death penalty. Shellenberger said since 2009 capital cases in the state are limited to those with "biological or DNA evidence proving guilt, a videotaped confession or a videotape that can link the defendant to a homicide."
Those restrictions, Shellenberger said, practically eliminates the chances of someone being wrongly convicted of capital murder and offer enough safeguards to ensure those improperly imprisoned—like Bloodsworth—are freed.
Baltimore County has only sought the death penalty twice since the new restrictions were put in place, Shellenberger said. Both cases involved defendants in the 2010 murder of Hess gas station owner William "Ray" Porter.
Walter Bishop was sentenced in November to life with the possibility of parole after shooting Porter twice at the East Joppa Road station in Towson after he told police he was promised $9,000 from Porter's wife, Karla.
Shellenberger said he will seek the death penalty against Karla Porter, who is scheduled to go to trial later this year.
"I believe that Maryland right now has the most restrictive death penalty statute in the country," Shellenberger said. "[The legislature has] added conditions to our death penalty statute that basically said you can not rely solely on eyewitness testimony, that if you want to go forward with a death penalty case you would also need DNA linking the defendant to the crime, or a video taped confession or an actual video of the murder taking place itself."
Bloodsworth counters that the justice system is far from perfect. He stated that 140 death row inmates have been wrongly convicted in the United States and 280 people have been cleared of crimes through DNA, including 17 on death row.
Bloodsworth also cited the work of the Maryland Commission on Capital Punishment which recommended in 2008 that the state should repeal the death penalty for fear of executing an innocent person along with concerns over racial and geographic disparities.
Bloodsworth added that that requiring someone to spend the rest of their life in prison is a far worse punishment than having that person executed.
"The crime that I was accused of, and ultimately went to death row for and was later exonerated, the real perpetrator after the fact was never given the death penalty," Bloodsworth said. "I think that it's a better punishment for people because they have to sit in this place for the rest of their lives knowing what they did."
The question is: Where do Montgomery County residents stand on repealing Maryland's death penalty? Share your answers in the comments section below.
Dudley Sharp
12:22 pm on Wednesday, March 7, 2012
The Death Penalty: Saving More Innocent Lives
Dudley Sharp
Of all human endeavors that put innocents at risk, is there one with a better record of sparing innocent lives than the US death penalty? Unlikely.
1) "The Death Penalty: More Protection for Innocents"
http://homicidesurvivors.com/2009/07/05/the-death-penalty-more-protection-for-innocents.aspx
2) Opponents in capital punishment have blood on their hands, Dennis Prager, 11/29/05, http://townhall.com/columnists/DennisPrager/2005/11/29/opponents_in_capital_punishment_have_blood_on_their_hands
3) "A Death Penalty Red Herring: The Inanity and Hypocrisy of Perfection", Lester Jackson Ph.D.,
http://www.tcsdaily.com/article.aspx?id=102909A
Dudley Sharp
12:23 pm on Wednesday, March 7, 2012
The false innocence claims by anti death penalty activists are both blatant and legendary. Some examples:
4) "The Innocent Executed: Deception & Death Penalty Opponents"
http://homicidesurvivors.com/2009/10/08/the-innocent-executed-deception--death-penalty-opponents--draft.aspx
5) The 130 (now 140) death row "innocents" scam
http://homicidesurvivors.com/2009/03/04/fact-checking-issues-on-innocence-and-the-death-penalty.aspx
6) "Exoneration Inflation: Justice Scalia’s Concurrence in Kansas v. March", by Ward Campbell, Supervising Deputy Attorney General, California Department of Justice, p 49, The Journal of the
Institute for the Advancement of Criminal Justice, Issue 2, Summer 2008,
http://www.cjlf.org/files/CampbellExonerationInflation2008.pdf
7) "The innocence tactic: Unreliable studies and disinformation", reports By United States Congress, Senate, 107th Congress, 2d Session, Calender no 731, Report 107-315. The Innocence Protection Act of 2002, (iv) The innocence tactic: Unreliable studies and disinformation, p 65-69, http://alturl.com/6j7oc
8) "The Innocent and the Shammed", Joshua Marquis, Published in New York Times, 1/26/2006
http://coastda.blogspot.com/2006/01/innocent-and-shammed-nyt-oped.html
contd
Dudley Sharp
12:24 pm on Wednesday, March 7, 2012
contd
9) "Troy Davis & The Innocent Frauds of the anti death penalty lobby", http://prodpinnc.blogspot.com/2011/11/troy-davis-innocent-frauds-of-anti.html
10) "The Myth Of Innocence", Joshua Marquis, published in the Journal of Criminal Law & Criminology - 3/31/2005, Northwestern University School of Law, Chicago, Illinois
http://joshmarquis.blogspot.com/2005/03/myth-of-innocence.html
11) Sister Helen Prejean & the death penalty: A Critical Review"
http://homicidesurvivors.com/2009/05/04/sister-helen-prejean--the-death-penalty-a-critical-review.aspx
12) "At the Death House Door" Can Rev. Carroll Pickett be trusted?"
http://homicidesurvivors.com/2009/01/30/fact-checking-is-very-welcome.aspx
13) "Cameron Todd Willingham: Another Media Meltdown", A Collection of Articles
http://homicidesurvivors.com/categories/Cameron%20Todd%20Willingham.aspx
Dudley Sharp
12:24 pm on Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Of course the death penalty deters.
All prospects of a negative outcome deter some. It is a truism. The death penalty, the most severe of criminal sanctions, is the least likely of all criminal sanctions to violate that truism.
1) 28 recent studies finding for deterrence, Criminal Justice Legal Foundation
http://www.cjlf.org/deathpenalty/dpdeterrencefull.htm
2) "Deterrence & the Death Penalty: A Reply to Radelet and Lacock"
http://homicidesurvivors.com/2009/07/02/deterrence-and-the-death-penalty-a-reply-to-radelet-and-lacock.aspx
3) "Death Penalty, Deterrence & Murder Rates: Let's be clear"
http://prodpinnc.blogspot.com/2009/03/death-penalty-deterrence-murder-rates.html
4) This is out of date, but corrects a number of the misconceptions about deterrence.
"Death Penalty and Deterrence"
http://homicidesurvivors.com/2006/03/20/the-death-penalty-as-a-deterrent--confirmed--seven-recent-studies-updated-61204.aspx
5) "The Death Penalty: More Protection for Innocents"
http://homicidesurvivors.com/2009/07/05/the-death-penalty-more-protection-for-innocents.aspx
J. Ashley
10:18 am on Thursday, March 8, 2012
It's unfortunate, but often times the death penalty is more of a reaction to the extreme and disturbingly horrific nature of a specific crime. This leads jurors to a well-meant but misdirected guilty verdict even when the accused may not be the guilty party. It's becoming commonplace for Death Row inmates to be exonerated by forensic evidence; in addition to this irrefutable indication of innocence, some Death Penalty verdicts are further cemented by errors and oversights by law enforcement members who are also emotionally committed to closing a case that was disturbing even to those inured to violent crimes. There are offenders who deserve to die for their crime, but the systems in place cannot ensure that justice is equally served for all persons. Although I am a 31-year law enforcement veteran, I cannot support the death penalty.
Dudley Sharp
11:56 am on Thursday, March 8, 2012
J. Ashley:
As review above, innocents are more at risk withou the death penalty.
Theresa Defino
12:58 pm on Thursday, March 8, 2012
Perhaps you could provide a link from an objective source that has reviewed the impact of the death penalty on crime, or articulate the argument rather than blanket the page with links from one or two sources. Also, anything written prior to the last year or two, given advances in DNA and other tests, is outdated. It speaks volumes that J. Ashley has this point of view given his or her job experiences.
Dudley Sharp
1:08 pm on Thursday, March 8, 2012
Theresa:
The links are connected to about 40 independent objective sources. You have to go to the links and see what is there.
No, reviews older than two years are not outdated. You would knoe that if you read them.
It would be nice if you read, first, then arrived at an opinion.
Theresa Defino
1:41 pm on Thursday, March 8, 2012
It would be nice if you could post recent links from objective sources that refer to the impact of Maryland's law, which is what this article is about. You're in Texas and your passion is advocating for the death penalty all over the country, which is what I guess brings you here.
Dudley Sharp
2:26 pm on Thursday, March 8, 2012
Theresa, please note that everything I posted is relevant to the maryland debate.
You have yet to note that anyhting I posted was either factually or rationally lacking.
I suspect that is because you cannot.
Those who don't know, complain. Those who do know have an informed discussion.
Quit wining and get to the discussion.
Jeff Hawkins
2:17 pm on Thursday, March 8, 2012
@Dudley Sharp
TEXAS!! TEXAS???? What the heck are ya doing around here young fella? Maybe stick with the Pace Picante sauce.......
Dudley Sharp
2:28 pm on Thursday, March 8, 2012
Jeff,
Am more than happy to tend to both.
Theresa Defino
2:58 pm on Thursday, March 8, 2012
Right, Jeff. Here was the question, which isn't applicable to a Texas death penalty activist.
"The question is: Where do Montgomery County residents stand on repealing Maryland's death penalty? Share your answers in the comments section below."
Theresa Defino
2:39 pm on Thursday, March 8, 2012
I am neither uninformed, nor complaining, nor wrong. You may note I also never posted my own opinion on the topic. And you have yet to post anything, as I requested, about Maryland's law. Read more closely. And you aren't interested in a discussion, clearly.
Jeff Hawkins
3:24 pm on Thursday, March 8, 2012
@Theresa
I agree Theresa!
As to where I stand on this issue........
I'm against the Death penalty....they should repeal it....
Maybe another good referendum topic? I'm big on those you know :)
Jeff Hawkins
3:31 pm on Thursday, March 8, 2012
@Dudley
If I may Sir, give you a piece of advice. Nobody in their right mind is going to read all of those "links" you posted. It just ain't gonna happen, there is alot to be said for brevity.
Here is another one for you, the Maryland Death penalty is going away, not sure when, but it will happen. If you want to keep it in Texas and that is what Texans want, then more power to you all.
Dudley Sharp
3:56 pm on Thursday, March 8, 2012
I sincerely hope it doesn't go away.
It represents justice in some cases and it spares more innocent lives.
Those who fight against the death penalty, by sparing more murderers are sacrificing more innocents, a terrible outcome.
Dudley Sharp
3:51 pm on Thursday, March 8, 2012
80% of Americans support the death penalty, when the question asks about specific death penalty eligible murders, as opposed to all murders (1). That percentage has been a constant for some time.
I haven't seen a poll in Maryland that covered those. But . . .
When Gallup asks about truly death penalty eligible murders, Gallup found death penalty opposition falls by 43% and support rose by 25% (1), which would mean 77% support and 20% opposition using Gallup’s 10/6-9/11 poll (2), as with Timothy McVeigh’s (the Oklahoma City bomber’s) execution, 81% supported his execution, with 16% opposed (Gallup 5/02/01), while 65% offer general support for executions for all murders, with 28% opposed (Gallup, 6/10/01) (1). The polls were conducted at nearly the same time.
A Nov, 2010 poll showed that a majority (81%) believes that innocents have been executed and that a majority (83%) still supports the death penalty (2).
(1) "Death Penalty Support Remains Very High: USA & The World"
http://prodpinnc.blogspot.com/2009/07/death-penalty-polls-support-remains.html
(2) a. "(83% 0f) Americans Support Punishing Murder with the Death Penalty", Angus Reid Poll, 11/09/10,
http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/43498/americans-support-punishing-murder-with-the-death-penalty/
b. 80% US death penalty support, 12% opposed – 10/4/11 poll
http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/44070/most-americans-prefer-the-death-penalty-for-convicted-murderers/
VERY ANGRY
4:30 pm on Thursday, March 8, 2012
MY SISTER 38, HER CHILDREN 3 AND 5 YEARS OLD WERE KILLED EXECUTION SYLE. THE CHILDREN BECAUSE THEY COULD IDENTIFY THE MURDERER, SCREAMS FOR THE DEALTH PENALTY
Dudley Sharp
8:04 pm on Thursday, March 8, 2012
VA:
I am extremely sorry for your losss.
Was the murderer ever caught? If so, what was the sanction?
VERY ANGRY
4:32 pm on Thursday, March 8, 2012
I DIDNT BELIEVE IN THE DEATH PENALTY, BUT I DO NOW.
Theresa Defino
6:03 pm on Thursday, March 8, 2012
Sorry for your loss, "Very Angry."
What state did this happen in? Was the murdered facing life or death penalty?
VERY ANGRY'S DAUGHTER
9:28 am on Friday, March 9, 2012
VERY ANGRY I SHARE IN YOUR PAIN, AS I AM THE THE VERY ANGRY NEICE OF YOUR SISTER. I TO DID NOT BELIEVE IN THE DEATH PENALTY UNTIL IT HIT HOME. I TO SCREAM FOR THE DEATH PENALTY!!! THE ONLY THING THAT CHALLENGES MY OPINION IS THAT I DONT WANT OUR FAMILY TO SPEND A LIFE TIME OF APPEALS.. I WANT CLOSURE!!! I WANT JUSTICE!!! THIS CRIME WAS NOT JUST SENSELESS OR A SIMPLE MURDER BUT A BRUTAL EXECUTION OF TWO YOUNG INNOCENT CHILDREN, AND TWO DEFENSENLESS WOMAN...IT WAS CRUCIAL AND WARDS DEATH!!! WHY SHOULD THE FAMILIES OF ANY VICTIMS HAVE TO PAY FINANCIALLY AS TAX PAYERS FOR THE THE MURDERS OF THEIR LOVED ONES TENURE IN JAIL (3 HOT MEALS, REC TIME, VISITATION, FREE EDUCATION AND HEALTH, IF THEY HAVE MONEY IN THEIR ACCOUNTS THE ABILITY TO ORDER TV'S AND GAME SYSTEMS, STILL LIVE THEIR LIVES). THAT IS STRAIGHT NONSENSE....
VERY ANGRY'S DAUGHTER!!!
Dudley Sharp
9:55 am on Friday, March 9, 2012
Dear VAD:
Appeals should only take 7 years, as in Virginia, wherein 75% of those so sentenced have been executed.
Anti death penalty lobbyists and legislators are to blame for both the irresponsible systems that exist elsewhere and for fighting implementation of reasonable reforms.
Death penalty opponents want to drive up the costs as much as they can, which includes stringing out appeals for as long as possible - both of which harm murder victims' survivors, even more.
All states can and should implement reforms to match Virginia.
Based upon my experience with murder victim survivors, there are two important types of closure with execution.
1) the justice of execution, which brings a close to the appeals process and
2) it ends any possibility that the murderer can harm or murder, again - a very big deal if you care about more folks getting harmed.
jnrentz1
11:08 am on Friday, March 9, 2012
Very Angry and Very Angry's Daughter:
Please tell us the following:
1) The full names and ages of the victims.
2) The full names and ages of the defendants.
3) The exact location of occurrence, to include city or town, state and county.
4) The exact time it occurred.
5) Why did this crime happen?
6) The court(s) that heard the case.
7) The current status of the case.
Theresa Defino
12:03 pm on Friday, March 9, 2012
@Dudley: "Anti death penalty lobbyists and legislators are to blame for both the irresponsible systems that exist elsewhere and for fighting implementation of reasonable reforms." FALSE
"Death penalty opponents want to drive up the costs as much as they can, which includes stringing out appeals for as long as possible - both of which harm murder victims' survivors, even more." FALSE
There are no facts so in this "very angry" case that warrant further examination related to Maryland or Montgomery County. Its highly likely the case took place in a death-penalty state. Until more information is provided, your smear campaign is just that.
Jim Burnetti
8:00 pm on Friday, March 9, 2012
Anyone remember the sniper? The ideal penalty would have been suspending them from the Wilson bridge and allowing D.C., Maryland, and Virginia SWAT teams some live practice.
Theresa Defino
7:41 am on Saturday, March 10, 2012
If you recall, the murders were convicted and sentenced in Va., which has the death penalty. MD at the time had a moratorium and D.C. does not have it. Given that states set their death penalty statues, not the federal government, prosecutors shop their cases around the region for the most severe penalties when other states are involved. The older sniper was executed; the younger is in prison without parole for life.
Jay Levy
9:06 pm on Friday, March 9, 2012
Dudley it's a shame that your spelling isn't in line with your surname, but I digress. As far as your state goes, I'll believe a corporation is a person when Texas executes one. And BTW, while it appears that 40 percent of all U.S. executions have been carried out in your great state in the past three decades, if you check the murder/nonnegligent manslaughter rates per capita by state, Texas has a higher rate than 30 states.
Dudley Sharp
9:35 pm on Friday, March 9, 2012
Jay:
It's my sloppy typing, more than my bad spelling. But, no excuse.
I am unsure about your corportation vs person comment. Reference?
Many folks misunderstand deterrence, as you appear to. I referrenced this earlier, above, as:
3) "Death Penalty, Deterrence & Murder Rates: Let's be clear"
http://prodpinnc.blogspot.com/2009/03/death-penalty-deterrence-murder-rates.html
I hope you read it.
Jim Burnetti
8:37 pm on Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Should the DC snipers get the death penalty? I'd like to see them suspended over the Wilson Bridge and have sharpshooters from all three jurisdictions take some live practice.