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Home Front: Politix
N.J. Bans Death Penalty
2007-12-18
Gov. John S. Corzine signed into law Monday a measure that abolishes the death penalty, making New Jersey the first state in more than four decades to reject capital punishment.
Have they passed a law yet that sez murder victims don't have to stay dead?
The bill, approved last week by the state's Assembly and Senate, replaces the death sentence with life in prison without parole.
That's not so different from being dead and in the grave without possibility of parole. Except that when you're dead the governor can't change his mind and commute your sentence. And they don't have to feed you.
The measure spares eight men on the state's death row. On Sunday, Corzine signed orders commuting the sentences of those eight to life in prison without parole. Among the eight spared is Jesse Timmendequas, a sex offender who murdered 7-year-old Megan Kanka in 1994. The case inspired Megan's Law, which requires law enforcement agencies to notify the public about convicted sex offenders living in their communities.
Posted by:Fred

#9  "Hey, Me an' 'da boyz didn't want no competition, see, so's we leaned on the Gov. to make dis go away-like."
Posted by: USN,Ret.   2007-12-18 17:36  

#8  And the scum who caused Megan's law to be passed gets off death row....
Posted by: Shetch Barnsmell6796   2007-12-18 16:36  

#7  Strange, to me the words "Justice" and "Jersey" never go together.
Posted by: Redneck Jim   2007-12-18 14:56  

#6  Corzine said he was moved by passionate views on both sides, but believes eliminating capital punishment "best captures our state's highest values and reflects our best efforts to search for true justice."

Yeah, that's the first think that comes to mind when I think of New Jersey...
Posted by: tu3031   2007-12-18 13:09  

#5  Yeah, "life means life".
I'll try to remember that when Jersey paroles another cop killer.
Posted by: tu3031   2007-12-18 13:03  

#4  A death sentence has shown remarkable ability to alter people's behavior. Why do people lock themselves in every night? Why do people worry about where their children are at when the sun goes down? Why are there certain parts of your city where you'll not venture? Your behavior has been modified by a potential death penalty invoked quickly, swiftly, without everlasting appeal. All society has done is move the penalty from the destructive predatory sectors of society and put it upon the constructive contributory members of society all in the name of 'perfect' justice. There is no perfect. All we've done is swap one potential injustice for another real injustice.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2007-12-18 09:32  

#3  I'm an advocate for the death penalty. Obviously for 1st Degree murderers but I could also see extinguishing kiddie pedophilers, the criminally insane and even some drug dealers depending on the case. Yes, I know the death penalty may not do much for preventing capitol crimes but I'm a big fan of how it handles potential recidivism.
Posted by: Broadhead6   2007-12-18 09:16  

#2  Glad to see that the East coast has kooks equally as daffy as the Left coast. Result will be the same. Several hundred on death row, not at $60K/yr, but $80+K because these folks tend to have severe medical issues as they pass from middle age to elderly. And, many areas of LA and Richmond where cops don't even patrol. No wonder locals are intimidated. Did anyone notice that Gov. Ahlnald has declared a fiscal budget crises again this year? Corzine will be there soon. When whack jobs are in charge, bad things happen.
Posted by: Woozle Elmeter 2907   2007-12-18 08:54  

#1  By giving the thugs and sociopaths of society the monopoly on death [as in your home, neighborhood, streets, businesses, schools, etc], the real power in NJ rests in their hands. It was just the other day, there was an article about how in the metroplex across from NYC, the local police can't get witnesses to testify because of intimidation by the criminal elements who are practically taking over the neighborhoods. You read this and you know why.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2007-12-18 08:12  

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