Lethal Injection or Life?

I have to agree that the concept of an “eye for an eye” is outdated, but it is the way many people think here in Texas. I think that the death penalty is an outdated form of enforcement for this principle, but in some situations it is necessary. For example, the recent execution of Humberto Leal Garcia here in Texas was a huge controversy for its international implications. Leal was convicted of the rape and murder of 16 year old girl. Leal was born in Mexico but raised in America since the age of 2. He tried to appeal his conviction by arguing that he was not provided with the proper avenues to contact the Mexican consulate while in prison. This is a right granted to all people convicted of a crime outside of their country under the Vienna Convention, and opponents argued that this execution could have devastating effects on American prisoners and travellers abroad. This appeal was overturned by the Supreme Court before the execution was carried out. While I do believe that executions are an outdated form of enforcement, in cases such as this, I believe they are the only just form of punishment. Leal was a man who was raised in America and was raised knowing the laws of the land so to speak. In America and Mexico murder is an illegal crime, the punishments may be different, but murder is still illegal. Leal was attempting to try and find a loophole in his conviction to escape death by lethal injection, for the brutal crime which he committed. I think it would have been unfair for a convicted rapist and murder to get life in prison without parole for the heinous crimes committed.

While I think that lethal injection is a punishment that should be reserved for the worst criminals, there are other options. As stated in the blog post  “Should the Death Penalty be a Time of the Past?" on From Bills to Bluebonnets, life without parole is another viable option. I think this is a great alternative to lethal injection, in cases where there is some question of whether the accused is the actual criminal. According to the Six Main Reasons to Oppose the Death Penalty Website, in Texas “the death penalty costs an average of $2.3 million per execution, three times more expensive than imprisoning someone in a single cell at the highest security level for 40 years.” So life in prison is also a cost effective alternative to lethal injection. The only problem that could arise is Texas prisons becoming overcrowded. California and other states are dealing with the growing problem of overcrowded prisons every day. The problem has gotten so out of control that some prisons are forced to place misdemeanor offenders in communal rooms without the option of individual cells. This has led to an increase in gang violence, as inmates no longer have the option or protection of an isolated cell. All in all, I think that the death penalty has been around for long enough without revision, and it is time that this conviction is revised.