Earlier today Sr Helen Prejean, author of Dead Man Walking, spoke at University of St. Thomas Law School. Read a summary of the talk by a professor who attended.
Tags: Death Penalty
The link between poverty and the death penalty is undeniable. I recently read that 95% of defendants charged with capital crimes are poor and cannot afford to hire their own attorney. This means that they are defended by court-appointed attorneys, who are underpaid and who are often inexperienced. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg has been quoted as saying that she has “never seen a death penalty case on appeal before this court in which the defendant was well represented at trial.â€1 Comment
The link between poverty and the death penalty is undeniable. I recently read that 95% of defendants charged with capital crimes are poor and cannot afford to hire their own attorney. This means that they are defended by court-appointed attorneys, who are underpaid and who are often inexperienced. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg has been quoted as saying that she has “never seen a death penalty case on appeal before this court in which the defendant was well represented at trial.â€