General Discussion

Tom Rinaldo

(23,185 posts)

16. I once spoke to the Republican then Attorney General of California on a call in show

Tue Feb 18, 2014, 10:10 AM

Feb 2014

Dan Lungren was on a local NPR program and I called in with a question. I said that I opposed the death penalty under any circumstances but I didn't understand how anyone who supported it could live with the possibility of the state executing an innocent person. I asked him if he would support changing California law so that the means test for imposing the death penalty was changed from guilt beyond a reasonable shadow of doubt to one where it was found to be inconceivable that the person being sentenced was not guilty as charged of taking another persons life. I had mixed feelings about even asking because a change like that could remove some opposition to the death penalty on one hand, but on the other hand prevent an innocent person from being killed by the state.

I didn't have to worry. Lungren said he had never heard of anything like that and then went on to totally not answer the question, resorting back to his pre-planned talking points.

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Another Death Penalty Poll - if you could be sure of guilt or innocence would you support the DP? [View all] el_bryanto Feb 2014 OP

Not for any reason, I find the death penalty to be barbaric. RGinNJ Feb 2014 #1

I honestly pipi_k Feb 2014 #2

Never understood what the death penalty is supposed to accomplish mokawanis Feb 2014 #3

It's to remove someone from society, permanently ....... oldhippie Feb 2014 #6

LOL, you know death penatly cases cost more than lifetime.... Logical Feb 2014 #9

Yes, I know that .... oldhippie Feb 2014 #11

But you fucking said "it's pretty simple really" when you were flat out..... Logical Feb 2014 #12

What is pretty simple was ..... oldhippie Feb 2014 #14

Your reason doesn't make much sense and the your remedy makes even less sense Major Nikon Feb 2014 #15

I'm sure it doesn't make sense to many .... oldhippie Feb 2014 #17

"I'm sure it doesn't make sense to many who are of the opposite opinion. " Major Nikon Feb 2014 #22

I sense that we will not come to any agreement .... oldhippie Feb 2014 #27

The reason you stated was 100% wrong! It would save no money..... Logical Feb 2014 #44

I think I understand where you are coming from ...... oldhippie Feb 2014 #45

Easily remedied how? Tommy_Carcetti Feb 2014 #23

Legislation and court decisions, ...... oldhippie Feb 2014 #30

Again, I don't want to strawman you, so.... Tommy_Carcetti Feb 2014 #31

Well, thanks at least for that ..... oldhippie Feb 2014 #35

You don't make it easy for yourself, do you? Tommy_Carcetti Feb 2014 #42

(sigh) If you really must know .... oldhippie Feb 2014 #43

Spoken like a true hippie Bandit Feb 2014 #26

"old" hippie ..... oldhippie Feb 2014 #28

I was not referring to anything you said as being untrue, it was the mindset i was commenting Bandit Feb 2014 #29

Can't argue with anything you've said ...... oldhippie Feb 2014 #32

The death penalty provides no disincentive to commit serious crime. It's useless... Gravitycollapse Feb 2014 #4

It's even less than useless. It's counterproductive to society. Major Nikon Feb 2014 #20

Murder is murder... TroglodyteScholar Feb 2014 #5

The DP isn't murder JJChambers Feb 2014 #24

Semantics are semantics TroglodyteScholar Feb 2014 #40

It's not semantics JJChambers Feb 2014 #41

You understand my position, I think. TroglodyteScholar Feb 2014 #48

What you ask us to exclude is such an intrinsic part of the death penalty issue. stevenleser Feb 2014 #7

Nope. Spider Jerusalem Feb 2014 #8

Of course not BlueSpot Feb 2014 #10

Absolutely not. Iggo Feb 2014 #13

I once spoke to the Republican then Attorney General of California on a call in show Tom Rinaldo Feb 2014 #16

No, because there is no way to be sure of guilt, MineralMan Feb 2014 #18

I understand that there isn't in reality - this is more of a thought experiment el_bryanto Feb 2014 #36

I deal in realities only. Thought experiments do not MineralMan Feb 2014 #37

Thought experiments though can let you place exactly where your opposition to the death el_bryanto Feb 2014 #39

I would, but with a caveat. Lizzie Poppet Feb 2014 #19

No. Tommy_Carcetti Feb 2014 #21

No, there are still mental health issues treestar Feb 2014 #25

No, not in any circumstance gwheezie Feb 2014 #33

I totally would!!!!!!! get the red out Feb 2014 #34

No. H2O Man Feb 2014 #38

for me it's not chiefly about guilt- though the horror of an innocent person cali Feb 2014 #46

Two wrongs don't make anything right Bettie Feb 2014 #47