From the Good Answers file...

Streak...er, pardon me...Dr. Streak reminds us...

What do we know about our Capital Punishment?

1) The states that execute the most are from the old Confederacy.

2) Those same states had the most illegal lynchings as well.

3) Our system is biased on both class and race. If you are poor and can't afford good counsel, you have a much higher possibility of being executed (especially in Texas).

3b. If the victim is white, much more likely to result in execution. Victims of color don't count as much.

4. Since the advent of DNA testing, the Innocence Project has exonerated 154 people who were on death row. Remember, DNA evidence only comes into play when there is, well, DNA to be tested. That doesn't mean those are the only wrongful convictions. Especially with what we know about eye witness testimony, it is inconcievable that we can claim that we only execute the guilty.

...which reminds me of one of the big reasons I was such a strong John Kerry supporter last year, and why I still think he's one of our finest leaders. Public officials who resist public blood lust to oppose state sanctioned murder deserve our support.

(as usual, my emphasis)