Thank you so much for posting on the boards. We are going to moderate this so you might not see your post up right away. Don't worry. Your words will be up here soon.

Interesting that in your documentary about the Illinois death penalty, you didn't seem to mention that Governor George Ryan was under a cloud of growing suspicion in a corruption scandal during his prior term as the Secretary of State. Unqualified individuals applied for commercial driver's licenses from the Secretary of State office, but were granted them in return for cash bribes that went into Ryan's political campaign fund.

In November, 1994, One of these unqualified Illinois commercial drivers drove an unsafe vehicle which broke apart on a southern Wisconsin road and plowed into a minivan driven by Scott Willis, with his wife and six children traveling along. The six children died from the resulting impact and inferno - the parents were badly burned. The investigators soon discovered the license was improperly given to the commercial driver and soon discovered the scandal in the IL Secretary of State's office.

Many of Ryan's cronies have gone to jail after being convicted on corruption charges, while Ryan looked for something to divert the public attention - hence he picked up the death penalty issue and ran with it to the extent that he did.

Now that he is out of office, he is now facing a federal indictment for corruption. No hero in my book.

References:
http://www.polstate.com/archives/000861.html

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/features/IT_40798_originalCDLinvestigation.html

VA Justice

Ryan basically replicated the entire appellate system when he conducted his reviews. He gave mercy to murderers who deserve to die and has placed other inmates, corrections officers and the public at increased risk of these murderers who now know that the state doesn't have the will and resolve to execute them before they kill again.

I am a student at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in NY city. I am a forensic psychology major. I do believe that in certain cases, capital punishment is justified. However...It is imperative, and of the utmost importance for the good of our society and of mankind in general that there be NO DOUBT of an individual's guilt. Our justice system is lacking in many areas. Too many people are wrongly accused and punished costing millions of tax dollars while criminals go free. We need a more human approach in our "judgements" of others as well and a more intensive consideration of the consequences having led to an individual to commiting a heinous crime.Our prison system does not rehabilitate. It is only a severe and cruel punishment. As a society we must demand reform within our justice system so that more of our tax dollars will go into rehabilitation taking into consideration the mental state of an individual being considered for capital punishment as well as a life sentence...

I appreciate the death penalty documentary. Thank you for airing such a true and just betrayal of the negligence that our government permits inside the walls of this country, one that proclaims our lives are protected, that those who are accused of a crime are “innocent until proven guilty.�
This is not true.
I am consistently appalled by the lack of justice in this society. Just as we all watch another election unfold, we are witness to the sacrifice our political leaders are willing to make in order to win votes. Who has spoke of crime? Of the hundreds who are wrongly accused? And the thousands who equal their family members who are left at home, wondering why? As we are at an unjust war, I can “understand� their distraction. But isn’t it much the same issue? We’re at war, sending young men to war, asking them to execute themselves. And they believe they are doing something honorable and brave for their country.
The public does not see most of what these men suffered. We don’t listen to their families. We believe as the prosecuters convince us to believe, that they are guilty and if they were “good people,� they would have not been in the wrong place at the wrong time. I used to believe in the death penalty so strongly that I would have participated willingly.
When I was sixteen I knew two innocent girls who were brutally, agrevatedly raped and chopped into puzzle pieces by a man who lived next door to them. I wanted him to die. I didn’t care how. He was killed, inside the prison walls. Perhaps by those men who were innocent and angered by the severity and careless intention of his crime.
Now, I am a woman who knows what it is like to stand by a man accused of a crime he did not commit. I know what it is to witness chains binding a man’s dignity, for no other reason than that of a woman who lied to get him fired. In the end, of his 7-day humiliation, he was changed. Scarred, angry, hopeless. And he was only there for 7 days. Men have been there for years Innocent men.
It is not in the hands of men to decide. Regardless of your faith. It is not for a man to decide who deserves to live or die. It is man’s obligation to find out why the crime was committed, and what he or she can do to bring justice back to their lives.
Our society teaches its children to kill rather than to solve. It’s video games, movies, money, and most of all, a failure and ignorance that our government has accepted. There are reasons for everything. Our failure is our inability to accept them, and to change them.

I hope this program will cause a real change of heart and conscience in our society. I had a relative executed 2 years ago after spending 25 years on death row. So, in effect the got life and death. I continue to visit another death row inmate. It has become apparent to me over the years that the death penalty only punishes the family, not the condemned. They are released. True punishment is life without the possibility of parole. The death penalty is about revenge. Most people do not understand that we who have loved ones on death row grieve not only for our family member, we grieve for their victims, knowing that we are blameless and helpless to to ease their pain.

I am opposed to the death penalty following the teachings of Pope John Paul - it has to be abolished as proof that we are indeed becoming more, and more civilized and pleasing to our good and wonderful Creator. I also appreciate the efforts to upgrade court room ethics- I have been terribly scandalized by attorneys who give performances rather that seek justice, and, families of the victims who are allowed use the courts to seek vengence. Forgiveness makes all things new, and, Mercy pleases God!

I think the show made it obvious that the governor has too much power in this decision, there should be a clemency board to make the final decision. I do not oppose the death penalty, those that do oppose it should hire good lawyers for the men on death row and see if they can get them off. Only death can set some things right.

I think it's about time that someone in the position to do something had the guts (probably knowing that there would be reprocussions - he's now being accused) to look further into a system that clearly against anyone of color or poor background.

outstanding

I realize now that I can't just sit by and watch other people do the work; I have to get involved and I will. I remember why college was so important to me 30 years ago. I had given up explaining why I didn't believe in the death penalty. No more. Thanks for giving me a voice.

I philosophically agree with the death penalty, however, not with the way it is currently administered. When judges are elected by the public because the promise to be "hard on crime" and there is no penalty for officers who commit perjury on the witness stand, there is no protection against false convictions. Thank you George Ryan for having the guts, in a climate where people would rather be free from fear than free from government abuse, to place a moritorium on the death penalty and commute death sentences until the system can be rehabilitated.

Julie Guvernator
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
414-489-1073

I can only hope all govenors in all the states can see this film. I don't know how they can do anything other than the courages Illinois Mayor did.

From Dallas, Tx
Has everybody forgotten about the old saying, "An eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth"? I strongly believe in the death penalty and feel that capital punishment is working to the best of it's ability!

Excellent film! I congratulate you on making and airing it. I am already planning to purchase it and set up a viewing on my campus. Kudos to you for doing such fine work on such an important moral issue!

The death penalty is unfair, it is biased, it is only for the poor. I am happy to live in a state where there is no death penalty. I think Governor Ryan made a great decision. How can you justify murder bu murdering?

I am a full-time college student who is pursuing law school. I am also a single mother of an 8 year old. I have been a staunch believer in the death penalty because I believe in justice. However, the Governor's words made me think again and look deeper into why I believe that way that I do, when he quote Abraham Lincoln saying that it takes a stronger person to show mercy than strict justice. I believe in retribution for peoples' sins on others but I do not believe that throwing them in prison (where they are given more things than the average free, hard-working, citizen gets - cable TV, a free education, 3 square meals a day and etc.) is the answer.

Comment: Great Film on a tough issue.
"Correct the System not the Sentence" this is my conclusion. Those that deserve imprisonment are the cops that use such "highlighted" tactics to get confessions, the attorneys that bury evidence that can set an innocent person free, and the systems that restrict relevant evidence from being heard by a jury. Moranda apparently did not do enough. Put honesty and integrity back into the system...where it belongs.

Governor Ryan lost faith in the system, not the criminal solution. Fix it. We need Congressional leaders to have the courage of conviction to fund the public defender's office as it should be and make it a position of honor, just as the prosecutor's office is, and pass legislation that makes criminal due process, a true process.

Chris

How can a country preport to be driven or based on Christian values and we support in many states the death penalty. A nation should not be in the business of killing no matter what the pretext.

This is one of the most educational "Dateline" shows I have ever seen. It has really affected the way that I feel about the death penalty. Families of the victims as well as families of the criminals stories were shown in such an unbiased manner. I felt moved by this film and now believe that taking a life for another life is wrong. It is time that our justice system has a complete overhaul.

It is not possible to be both civilized and in favor of the death penalty.

Steve Earle (singer, songwriter) in the song "Christmas time in Washington" (live version) states that Gov George Ryan is one of his heros, as someone famous claims that he was trying to "ease his conscience" Steve stated that if we all checked in with our conscience we would all be better off. I agree

I applaud Gov. Ryan's decision! It was made with considerable attention given to the law and the evidence of unfair and racist application of the law to convict innocent people. Rather than cover up what most states would rather not deal with--an outdated and inefficient judical system; Gov. Ryan was willing to take responsibility and the residual, heated aftermath of his decision to instigate radical reform in Illinois. Change always comes at the cost of sacrifice. Hopefully, at the sacrifice of Gov. Ryan's career, Illinios will move toward a more favorable, impartial and realistic legal system.
To look at the man or woman in the mirror and not have your reflection turn away is to truly live with integrity and honor; Gov. Ryan doesn't need to turn away anymore, if he ever did.

I think in our heart of hearts, we all wish we could be as principled and strong as Larry Marshall and his students, and Govenor Ryan. Their belief in the value of human life is seamless.

The documentary film "Deadline" was a very good presentation of the issues, some of them could have more depth coverage such as incompetitent attorneys and lack of resources to conduct a thorough investigation. I am a private investigator that specializez in homicides in North Carolina. Fortunately for the accused in NC, there is a good system for providing reasonable resources, but not unlimited for conducting thorough investigations of the homicide, especially if the accused faces the death penalty. One of the things that I learned early on was the poor quality of the police investigations and a rush to judgement before all the facts were investigated. Another serious problem is the slowness that prosecutors provide their discovery material to the accused's defense attorneys. The delays mean that potential witnesses move or forget critical facts. this helps the prosecutor, but means that an innocent person may be convicted of murder and may face the death penalty.

i dont think a governer has the right to change a dession of the courts. we will find out the ex gov. is a big crook

What makes our government and the justice system above the law? Why is it ok for them to kill people for doing that very thing. The death penalty is not a deterant to violent crime. If that were so, wouldn't there be a sharp decline on violent crime in the states who reinstituted the death penalty? Personally, if I were going to spend time in prison, I'd rather be put to death than to sit in a cage for the rest of my life, and if my loved one were murdered, I'd want the guilty to live as miserably as possible without the hope death would spare the misery.

I was very glad to see this show. What was shown was very real and very true. Untill you have lived it you cannot understand the legal system or the Illinois Prison system. I applaud what Gov Ryan did and know some of the families his decision effected.

What makes our government and the justice system above the law? Why is it ok for them to kill people for doing that very thing. The death penalty is not a deterant to violent crime. If that were so, wouldn't there be a sharp decline on violent crime in the states who reinstituted the death penalty? Personally, if I were going to spend time in prison, I'd rather be put to death than to sit in a cage for the rest of my life, and if my loved one were murdered, I'd want the guilty to live as miserably as possible without the hope death would spare the misery.

The story was good but it was one sided. If you interview family of victims of these crimes the majority I think will be for the death sentence. I am one of those.

I thought the film was very well done and extremely balanced. I feel for the victims but I cannot condone using the overwhelming power of the State to carry out the murder of its own citizens, irrespective of their actual guilt or innocence. The punishment of a life behind bars without possibility of parole fully protects society, leaves the door open for the wrongly condemned to make their case and grants the truly guilty a chance to find redemption -- Christian values all. We should not empower an already all-powerful government with the right to murder its own, regardless of how momentarily gratifying vengence may feel. Those with the power and resources vested by the State to arrest, accuse, try and condemn may not always be motivated by the noblest impulses nor empty of ulterior motive. Knowing that, we must always stop short of the finality of death.

A fair account. Justice is not served by enforcing an action, such as the death penalty, when the system is flawed. Richer fruits were produced with his decision.

I understand how a loved one of a murder victim can want the most harsh punishment for the murderer, but how can that ever make up for the loss? Would it not be more fitting for that murderer to spend his/her life in prison with no possible chance of parole? But "Life in Prison" should have to be just that "LIFE" not a number of years after which they would be free.

Those members of the criminal justice system present false evidence or torture a person to force them to confess to a crime they did not commit should then be charged with a serious crime for which they in turn should be punished!

If just one innocent person is saved by abolishing the death penalty, then it should be abolished!

I have always been opposed to the death penalty. Two wrongs do not make a right. Look how many innocent men are on death row now? Worse than that, how many have already been put to death for a crime they did not convict?

hello. My name is lacey, i am a teenager who lives in texas.I saw this program on television this evening and was very moved!I never thought about how poorly prisons treat their inmates! Ill tell you what i think about death row, it's wrong! Killing a person whether their inosent or not is un mercyful and unjust! if anyone who lives in texas would like to e-mail me , and provide me with more information on how to help out i would appreciate it ! and is there any way i could talk to people through e-mail who have been affected by this? thank you and god bless!

Thank you, thank you so much for showing this documentary! I did not vote for George Ryan, but his willingness to learn, think and act regarding the death penalty is a deep and considered act of moral courage I admire. I too have mixed feeling about the death penalty for those who are guilty of murder. This show helped clarify why the high (difficult) moral ground of not taking "an eye for an eye" makes all the difference.

One thing that isn't discussed is that killing is wrong, whether by an individual or a state. In fact the state is more guilty, because what they do is premeditated, drawn out, excruciating murder. I understand the victim's loved ones want the killer dead, but we were taught to restrain our actions. Otherwise we are as bad as the killers.

My brother has been wrongfully accussed, wrongfully convicted and is the wrong person sitting on death row. I say that the justice system should exhaust all efforts on making sure the person is guilty of the crime accussed before they execute anyone. I am against the death penalty. Those in authority, so many times abuse their authority. Their motives aren't pure. The motive should be JUSTICE for all no matter race, economic status, or religious beliefs.

I recently was subpeona to court on behalf of my job. However, sitting in the court room, I witnessed case after case where the defendents plea bargained guilty on the recommendation of the Public Defender. I know there's an overload, but what's at stake here. Justice?

This film made me wonder even more......

Thank you for your provocative film,it is an excellent and important piece of work.I can see where our jurdical process is slanted and unfair. Gov. Ryan did the honerable thing,I would wonder if because he did was an investigation by the state dep.launched. Our so called media has been wonderful advocates for the death penalty by sensationalizing crime and passing it off as entertainment. Again thank you for your work and dedication.

I'm glad that the death penalty issue was covered in
tonight's Dateline, because it's important for
everyone to engage in a dialogue on how we treat
people who have been convicted of committing crimes.
Often the wrong message is sent out: that people who
have been convicted are no longer human beings, that
they are beyond redemption, and are therefore
disposable. It's important that the values of the
justice system are constantly re-examined to make sure
that we're putting into practice the values that we
profess to hold dear.

This is one of the most heroic things I have seen in recent American history. I did not grow up in the age of women's rights-civil rights-Martin Luther King and so on. I've been wondering what my generation was going to leave for our children. I think so many wonderful things have happened in the past that my ancestors have done that have made me so proud to be an American. I can only hope that this is what my generation can leave behind. I have always seen the death penalty as a more sophisticated form of linching. To me, there is no system that can accurately determine the guilty from the innocent. And how we have been able to judge people on their worst moment and say this is all you are worth-you are only worth your worst moment in life. I have never felt more humility than when I saw the victim's families opposing the death penalty. I do believe that we owe our victim's families more-much more-than just the act of revenge. We are a beautiful people and we will only improve our beauty of life when we act on our problems with humility verses vengence.

The film was well done. In Louisiana we have had many people walk off of death row in the past few years. We have a real problem but we also have a legislature that will not act becouse of the DA's Assn telling them all is fine. They know that the system is failing but will not take the any action to correct it. We also have a public defense system that is failing as well. So if you are poor in LA you go to jail or get death. It's also a race thing down here in the deep south. Everone knows, if you are black you are going down for it. If y0u are white and have MONEY you get off or the ticket fixed. That's just the way it goes down here. I hope this film will make people think about this issue.

This film has confirmed what I have always thought. It is one thing to want the person who committed the crime punished; however, is quite another to simply want whoever is accused put to death.

I am an employee of the Illinois Dept. of Corrections. I am a teacher in the prison system. I have seen many inmates who can not read or write in my classes. I question whether some of them could assist adequately with their defense. I teach in a medium security prison so my students will eventually be released into society. My belief has always been to give them as much education as I can so that I never see them in my class again. I enjoyed the film a great deal. I have worked in the prison as a teacher since 1992.

I have never believed in capital punishment because of the racial inequities within our justice system. This film did nothing more than reinforce my belief that our justice system is "just" for some not others.

I noticed that you didn't hesitate to mention that Bill Clinton was governor during several executions in Arkansas.

However, I find that the lack information about the term of Governor George W. Bush which saw more executions than any previous governor to be blatantly lacking in fairness to factual reportage.

The show was excellent otherwise, and gave much food for thought.

Great film. I've always been for the death penalty, but only if it could be appropriately used, and it now seems to me that that may be nearly impossible. So life in prison seems a fine alternative.

The film was very enlightening to me. I am a nurse by profession and don't believe in the death penalty.I'm about "saving" lives not taking them. This film had all the characteristics of Morality. I'm a firm believer that If you don't stand for something you will fall for anything. Governor Ryan took a profound stance and hopefully other Governor's will do the same.

· Ryan basically “rubber-stamped� all of the murderers cases with “life without parole�. He overrode the will of jurists and what the entire judicial system stands for by re-assigning all murderers on death row to general population.
· The defense attorneys equated wrongful convictions with actual executions. Each case is subjected to multiple reviews and guilt is certain before executions are conducted.
· The authors of this “documentary� took the word of murderers and defense attorneys over the words of law enforcement despite evidence. Of course they don’t admit to murder… to plead guilty means that an execution might be appropriate. It’s a myth that documentaries are also objective. This documentary proves that notion.··· Ryan choked. He just couldn’t waive a clemency petition. It should be hard to support a life sentence, but not beyond the capabilities of a real leader. Ryan lost his nerve.· The entire segment was basically "two hours of carefully crafted political advocacy".

I am the mother of an incarcerated son. My son is a victim of the correctional system and the mandatory sentencing guidelines. He took a plea to try and avoid a life sentence for a kidnapping and armed robbery charge, and has been sentenced to 25 years in prison. The irony in our case is that although he was charged with kidnapping...NO ONE IS MISSING and NO ONE WAS HARMED. He has bee in prison for 4 years in the state of Georgia. We have tried to appeal and have recently been told that the judge has retracted her decision to give him another trial. As his mother, I have spent all that I have for legal assistance, and I cannot afford a lawyer to defend him. If someone would only review the case...it is more than clear that we are living a nightmare that just should not be.

I thank God that he has used Govenor Ryan to take a stand that needed to be taken and that he was willing to "speak up and speak out" against the issue of capital punishment.

Oh, by the way, we are African-American and my son will turn 27 years old behind bars for something that he did not do. He has a 4 year old daughter who adores him and he tries to parent from behind bars. As her grandmother it becomes increasingly difficult to explain why her father is not here with her.

Is there help out there for us? Our entire family is serving time and the pain is always present. I pray that God will continue to use men like Govenor Ryan to make a difference. My hope and belief is that God will by his power cause a difference to be made in the system.

Let me begin by saying that I oppose the death penalty. However, I was appalled that one of the convicts featured in this piece had his death sentence converted to a life sentence and now is again free and walking the streets. This is the biggest travesty of justice and most compelling argument for the death penalty I know. In our deeply flawed and completely unjust system a life sentence does not mean “life� and violent criminals are released to commit horrific crimes again and again. When does societies right to be safe and free of crime out way the right of violent criminals to parole. Additionally, I believe it to be the ultimate deception for politician, news media, and advocacy group to perpetuate the myth that poor, underprivileged, and minority groups are less responsible for their poor choices and bad behavior. I grew up extremely poor and disadvantage and I am insulted to hear that I am not only expected to commit crime but also pardoned for my actions because some have more monetary resources than I. This mentality only perpetuates the immense lack of personal responsibly and reduced drive to succeed that is poisoning our society. Social class does not dictate moral obligation. We all, rich and poor alike, have an obligation to respect the rights of every human and you dont have to grow up rich to know that.

Part of the problem with our justice system and the application of the death penalty lies in the fact that the main focus of prosecuters is getting convictions and in high profile cases even more so. This supercedes the main purpose of the justice system which is to seek justice first.The search for the truth should not be rushed and should not succumb to the pressure of the media and public opinion. Further complicating the problem is the fact that once a prosecuter gets a conviction he is allowed toproverbally wear his successful prosecution and conviction of someone like a trophy and go on TV and pronounce it to the world. This can occur whether or not the conviction is just or not and puts the prosecuter and government in the position of having to defend the conviction at all costs now in order to save face. This further hinders the search for justice because even more exterior factors are affecting the judgement of all the people involved and justice is being served even less. The process of administering justice needs to be overhauled tremendously so that it is a fair and just process that serves everyone involved fairly and in a just manner. This would lead to fewer wrongful convictions, would reduce the number of appeals and would ultimately serve to reduce the cynicism that large segments of the population feel towards the justice system.

The one's on death row are getting the pay for the wrong they did for wages of sin is death I support the Death sentence will all ways support it it's sad If they are so against death why not just let them go instead of wasting all that money keeping them up the rest of there life 3meals a day tv. schooling free lawers health benefits no hard labor, God where is the punishment?

The death penalty and all of the problems that have been associated with it sends a dismal message to our poverty stricken, inner-city youth. So many of them live in desperate situations, and the racial bias only adds to their feelings of hopelessness. Wouldn't we, as a society, benefit from showing them that crime and ultimately, death by lethal injection, are not their destiny? Wouldn't it be more beneficial to house the criminal for life and use the money saved on an execution to invest in programs that support life-changing attitudes in our youth, our future?? Perhaps if we model civil behavior by ending the death penalty it will be a first step in changing lives.

My 23 year old son sits in Va death row. He was falsely accused of murder for hire at the age of 20. His accuser pulled the trigger 10 times and escaped the death penalty by accusing my son. I pray that someone like you looks into the Va system soon since the Va inmates only have 5-6 years before they are executed.

Watching television tonight I thought I could gain some insight and/or knowledge, if you will, for my Fall Criminal Law class. Instead, all I found was media persuasion at its best. Do not get me wrong-I feel like everyone is entitled to an opinion. However, a news organization that so many Americans rely upon happened to sway potential voters because of their trust to a far left side of an issue without displaying any other side. To me it is a disgrace to our nation and the First Amendment entirely. What about those people like Mr. Bundy who made his way into a Florida Sorority house and murdered many innocent girls? How about those rapists and murderers, should they be given a right to live and be supported by my tax dollars? I would rather my dollars go to a cause like education or AIDS Research than to a man or woman who has no regard for my life or any other human beings’ life entirely. As for the governor's decision, I feel like it was mostly a political gain. If the Chicago voter's are heading in the way of no death penalty, then the Governor is playing his cards right for his party.
Final note: The media is playing a substantial role in picking the next President of the United States, but was it not the framer's intentions to let me see all the angles, left and right, before I made my decision?

Eye opening. Amazing. Heroic.
Inspiring.

I have not always opposed the death penalty and would probably kill anyone who murdered my wife or child if given the opportunity. There are many reasons I now oppose the death penalty. Some of which were touched upon in the Deadline documentary. My solution is to provide justice for the victims and not allow the state to murder its citizens while also allowing for wrongful convictions, unfair sentencing, and outright false convictions. Time and again the victims’ families say the same thing when asking for the death penalty, “I will never be able to speak with my loved one again. Why should they?� My solution is to not allow those convicted of murder to ever speak or communicate again with the outside world except to their lawyers as is necessary to pursue their appeals. Furthermore lawyers who violated this law would be subject to disbarment. In effect the convicted murderer would be dead and forgotten. This allows for true punishment and permits changes in sentences as new evidence is uncovered. It makes me sick when in my state of Florida and others that even when it has been proven that some have been wrongfully convicted the prosecutors never admit their mistakes and I have yet to hear of anyone being charged with a crime in connection with these cases. They cling to their opinions in the face of overwhelming evidence to protect themselves for the idea that they would have been responsible for an innocent man’s death or worse yet some have even stated “Well if he wasn’t guilty of this one he was guilty of something else.�

Andrew Parker

Thank God the media is taking the time to investigate the social injustice in our justice system! NOW maybe more people will be aware of the injustice of the death penalty.

greetings from Frankfort, IN....In my opinion life with out the possibility of parole is the the worst fate any humanbeing can face..Consider this? The thuought you would be a the same building the rest of your natural life..The absolute worst socially disfunctional inmates live in complete isolation for 23 hrs. a day until they take their last dying breath at Gods chosen time. Here's the real kicker..the whole time knowing they will have the number the state gave them on their markerstone..Not the name their mother gave them at birth..A life time to relive their transgressions against God and mankind

I live in Texas and comend George Ryan for his stand. There has to be other options to dealing with murderers then the death penalty. Killing is wrong regardless of who is conducting it; a citizen or a state.

"Why do we kill people to prove killing people is wrong?" Can no statement be truer than this?? STOP THE DEATH PENALTY NOW! DO NOT KILL FOR ME!

The truth is, our judicial systems has gotten out of control in America. We've become the incarceration capitol of the developed world. And it's all about stocks, money, greed rather than fighting crime. These death penalty convictions are very disturbing. However, on a smaller level, the ones we don't hear about, are the constant incarceration of, primarilty, minorities on smaller crimes, real or made up.

Jails and prisons, in America, often fight over prisons to fill a bed to get more money. If the money stopped pouring in today from the federal government, crime would go down, because it was all exaggerated in the first place. Whenever the federal government starts to talk about sending more down to local jurisdiction to help fight THE CRIME ON DRUGS, GANGS etc. suddenly those statistics "mysteriously" go up. That's scary. Because, it makes one realize just how rogue, corrupt and how little value these local agencies place on humanity. They always target the minority and poor because they know these are the ones in the least like position who can afford to fight back or defend themselves in the courts. They are easier targets because they are often advised to plead "guilty" by their "court appointed" attorneys, and they can't afford to tie up the courts by appealing. The judges and most everyone wants to get the one case out of the way asap inorder to quickly move on to the next and the next case and be home by 5:30 p.m. each day. The LIE is always easier to embrace than the truth. 'Cause the truth may take more time and effort.

Thai

After the L.A. Gang story came out about COPS planting evidence, that changed my mind about the Police. I was brought up to believe the COPS would always protect you, and my brother is a retired State Trooper. I was a business owner and got to see first hand how the Police can be made to do things they know are wrong. I’ve seen Police Officers get on the stand and swear to GOD to tell the truth. The truth was not in them, but they were at church on Sunday, getting their well deserved pats-on-the-back!

The Death Penalty? Not in this day and time. Even with that 100% DNA proof that you are guilty of a crime, CAN BE COOKED UP! We’ve all been told things are not the way they used to be, and today a COPS word is not what it used to be. Good or Bad, the truth is; if you are in their sights, they will get you one way or the other.

I feel that the Illinois Governor made a very sound decision. What does it say about our society that we are willing to execute someone for perceived wrong doings. Perhaps this is exactly what separates us from those countries that do not have the homicide rate that we do.

Thank you for finally having this program on a primetime network. When one travels abroad, one finds out how appalled most people in the "civilized world" are that we use the death penalty as a part of our judicial process.

That NBCs DateLine will probably never air a rebuttal to "Dead Line" hacks me off.

The diclaimer that the program had a point of view was delivered by Stone Phillips at the start of the program and took all of two seconds followed by two hours of propaganda.

I loved the way they left George W. Bush's name and all the Texas executions up longer than the other captions.

On an up or down vote I would certainly vote against capital punishment for all the reasons in the film and then some. But I don't like the way our so called objective news media goes about the business of giving one side of the story.

Can't help but wonder what the 2 people on the panal for the death penalty would feel if one of there loved ones were wrongly convicited and , sentenced to death ?
thanks ,
Jon Jorgensen

Governor Ryan made the just and right decision. Our system is not capable of having such a certain and irreversible punishment. This punishment is unjust and atrocious, in my view it is state-sanctioned killing, that serves only vengenace, not the interests of society.

As a family member of a murdered victim I believe whole heartedly in the death penalty. I believed in the death penalty before my father was murdered and I still believe in it now. I don't think Govenor Ryan should have commuted all the death penalty cases. I think all of them should have been looked at more thoroughly by a committee of lawyers/judges/prosecutors/etc. As much as I would hate to see an innocent person be put to death I also would hate to see guilty murderers be free to live life wether in prison or in society. The person that murdered my father is currently on death row . I don't feel closure but I do feel that justice has been served. The person that murdered my father is a life long criminal; 3 murders and 5 bank robberies. He said multiple times in his confessions that he didn't want to die; well my father and the two other victims didn't want to die either but he didn't care. The criminal said that they begged for their lives; but he still stabbed them over 15 times and sliced their throats and left them for dead in the woods. I am not sorry that this man will eventualy meet his maker!

I still believe the use of state exicutions is a viable form of justice. I also believe that the coruption involved in false convictions are the personnal failings of the officials involved and should be prosecuted as premeditated murder themselves. And be punished with the very same penalty.

If one innocent person is spared, that justifies Gov Ryan's actions. You can't put a number on human life.

Thank you for providing a provocative presentation and forum for the death penalty. Twenty years ago, it was popular to discuss the death penalty as many states debated the issue. However, most discussions were rhetorical in nature at least those that I witnessed or participated in. My answer to whether the death penalty should exist or not was the same then as it is today. If there is only one innocent person put to death, then it is one person too many. Since most of us are not God, there is no way to convict someone unless it is proven beyond any doubt that the person convicted did the crime. The standard for criminal conviction is "beyond a reasonable doubt", but with all of the dysfunctional family and work dynamics that abound in our society who is the judge of what is reasonable? Dysfunctional families and businesses are not bounded by reasonableness. DNA helps to eliminate individuals, but just because someone's DNA is at a crime scene does not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that same person did the crime.

What astounds me is that the same individuals who argued against me in favor of the death penalty have never started a conversation with me saying something to the effect that maybe they were wrong (there should not be the death penalty). Even in light of the fact that DNA has helped to prove that some convicts could not have committed the crime imprisoned for, these same individuals stick to their convictions. I sure hope that dysfunctional doesn't extend to the point that some individuals have to be right at the expense of someone else’s innocent life.

As an African American female, I have of always been very concerned and afraid with regards to the Death Penalty.

Alhough I don't know and have never know known anyone on Death Row, I was always conscience that minorities seemed to be on the Capital Punishment the "hit list".

I'm writing because I want to thank you.

I want to thank you for your courage and most of all for your concern about the subject. I only pray that this movie will spark some constructive debate and move toward change.

For me, my family, my friends, my race, and our future......THANK YOU!

Sincerely,
Fontella V. Armstrong

The thing that got me the most was that innocent people are getting the death penalty that didnt even commit the crime.It could be our Father,Mother,Son,or Daughter.
What would you do if you were in the situation to where that family memeber was on there way to the death chamber and you really knew they were innocent.
How could you stop it? Lets do something now to prevent that from happening.

The death penalty should be abolished totally.
To take a life will not bring back those who have
died. All means availble should be given to all to prove their innocence. Both rich and poor!!!!
Because if you look at the type of people who are on death row you will not find those of means and money but those who do not have means and money the poor. When was the last time a rich person was on death row or even sentenced to death of the history of our country.

Sincerely

Lynnette Sheppard
Daly City, California

I am a psychiatric social worker married to a man who was on death row for a crime he did not commit and the state of Indiana will not allow him to have DNA testing done to prove he did not do it. He has been in prison since 1985. I have spent thousands of dollars on lawyers and it is never enough. I cannot spend any more money on lawyers who cannot get anything done due to the system. The story tonight on Dateline was very familiar, as he too was forced to confess by torture. When is justice going to come to the innocent?

My loved one was just taken from Indian's Death Row after 10 years. But he has been re-sentenced to what amounts to the rest of his life in prison. He didn't commit this murder. Over ninety pieces of forensic evidence at the crime scene didn't match him. The victim was stabbed over 40 times. There was no blood from the victim on him or his clothing, even the FBI stated at his trial he couldn't have committed this murder. We have juror notes that were sent to the Judge during the trial that were stuck in a file that wasn't seen until after his conviction. The true murderer is running the streets even though the alibis that were given for him, have been re-canted. The "jail house snitch" even the Jail staff state he wasn't ever in the same area, and suspiciously is many thousands of dollars of back child support was dealt with and he was removed from probation just days after testifying for the prosecution. The Public Defender never even spoke with State Witnesses until they were on the stand, and he himself just come from having a mental breakdown, and a nasty divorce. The Jury voted unanimously against the Death Penalty but the Judge overruled them. We have given the State in many aspects to much power. Think about this, a executed person's death certificate cause of death is listed as "Homocide by the State" Think about it WE are the state. We are the killers. Could you push that needle in?

I wasn't able to view the entire film but what I did see was very powerful. I have always been opposed to the death penalty and have great difficulty understanding how those who are against abortion can favor the death penalty. The film makes a very valid case for abolishing the death penalty completely. The Governor did a marvelous thing and quite honestly, who cares what motivated his actions. It was the right thing to do.

I work in child protection. We know that prisons are filled with adults who were abused as children. Let's hope that 'HELP IS ON THE WAY'.
There has to be a better way.

Everyone should watch this film.

If you didn't catch the whole film, like Chris, you can buy the DVD on the website. Thanks for watchin!

The death penalty should NOT be abolished! Yes, there should be every step taken to prove with out the slightest bit of doubt that these people are guilty on death row, but I do not think giving them a free meal, free education, internet access, and cable TV is the answer. No, one can ever convince me that people like Ted Bundy shouldn't have been executed! People need to know that if they break the law and if they sadistically take the lives of others there were be a real penalty, not a simple slap on the hand and free ride!

I have as of yet not seen the movie. I am living proof of wrongful convictions. My son was wrongfully convicted and extremely sentenced to 33 years in prison. We found the police, attorneys, D.A., judges all in on it to look hard on crime. The D.A. has gone on to be the States Attorney in the State of California.I know so many others that this has happened to also. My family's life has been a living hell. My son has never been in a fight in his life, now in prison, wrongfully convicted he has has been placed with the worst of the worst. He has learned how to defend himself, and kill if needed to protect his own life. This is happening to so many people, and what do you think they will do when they finally get realeasd back into society? A terrible thing is happening in out country. My son will receive much counseling when he gets out,but so many others will not be as fortunate. I will spend the rest of my life getting this story out of what the system has done to my family, and helping others that this has happened to.

Finally a show that NBC can be proud of. I have stopped watching much of Dateline, the programs have often been too sensationalist and often lacked a deeper journalistic quality. But Deadline was truly touching, insightful and offered an emotional yet intelligent documentary. Great Job!
N in LA

I live in Texas. It seems like there are stories about someone that the state has killed almost every other week. I have had serious concerns that the death penalty in this state is not just ... but is nothing more than a political tool. Justice is NOT political, and politics have no place in the justice system. Gov. Ryan did the right thing. Not just by commuting all of those sentences, but by being willing to DEMAND to know the FULL extent of the problem w/ the justice system in his state to begin with. In my state, it seems that every politician supports the death penalty, is unwilling to admit that mistakes are possible, or have happened. There is a "Kill them all --- let God sort them out" mentality in this state. Maybe they are forgetting that God made it very clear: "Vengeance is MINE, said the Lord". HE was telling all of us that HE, and only HE, can TRULY know someones guilt or innocence! Moreover, that killing one, JUST ONE, innocent person is not justice, but a CRIME and a SIN in its own right.
What is most disturbing to me is that the very people that we trust to uphold the law willing break the law by lying in court and withholding evidence that might prove someone's innocence. It is almost like prosecutors are competing for the most guilty verdicts. When did HUMAN LIVES become a SPECTATOR SPORT? What happened to the “innocent until proven guilty" and the Bill of Rights?

Thank you for showing all that is wrong with the death penalty. The death penalty is not the solution, it does not work, and the system is seriously flawed. Even one person who is on death row and is innocent, is one too many. The other issue-who is in our prisons and on death row? The disenfranchised, the poor, and racial minorities. Killing, even "legally sanctioned" does not bring peace, but only continued violence.

I spent the first 36 years of my life in Illinois and I can say without any reservation at all that I am proud that Governor Ryan took the steps he did. The value system of the people of Illinois is one to be proud of, not the justice system. Thank God that Illinois had a governor with the intregrity, moral compass and the fortitude to make a decision that was very controversial, to say the least. The power of proscutors and judges has far exceded the intent of law. If we refuse to be ruled by the laws of the universe, we will be ruled by tyrants. God Bless Governor Ryan!

I am a resident of Illinois and when Governor Ryan made this "blunder" our family was very ashamed and angered for the VICTIMS!

He is not some kind of hero here! He made a mockery of the jury system and the justice that comes from taking another life!

This program was just one big rally for the anti death penalty minds, it was biased and lacking in common sense.

How disgusting that these 167 murderers can now live off hardworking taxpayer dollars working out, getting college degrees, watching tv until they die from natural causes.. Or did I hear some will go free? Be allowed to roam society again and murder someone again?

I wonder how the anti death penalty advocates would feel about someone in their life being murdered? Would you still want to pay for their boarding and meals daily? That would be enough justice for you? I don't think so.

The majority of Americans support the death penalty, Ryan just used his power to disrupt the balance and justice system.. shame on him!

My opinion about Gov. Ryan's decision to make a blanket commutation was that his intentions were good and that he was trying to do the right thing; after all, Illinois does appear to have had a lot of cases that reflected substandard police work and a lot of political pressures being applied. I am still a firm believer in capital punishment when applied in the proper circumstances, but if there are doubts about the justice system and apparatus that sent these people to Death Row, I also think that we must err on the side of caution. After all, as long as the truly guilty are incarcerated, they're not going anywhere and they are in a punitive enough environment to satisfy justice for the interim.

As someone who has experienced our "INjustice" system fist hand, I am glad to see that others are concerned about such an important and tragic state of affairs. Its a great shame though that most will choose to continue ignoring these injustices until it happens to them or their loved ones.

I'd also like to say that the many errors -intentional or not- that have come to light regarding the death penalty situation should be questioned and investigated in other aspects of our legal system in general. It is worth wondering just how many innocent people are behind bars at this moment.

Again, most people assume that we have an adequate system of justice in this country, it is high time now for all of us to question this assumption.

I'm not sure that this is really about the death penalty -- or at least it is only to the extent that before the State executes a person, we need to be sure that they are guilty. To me this is the greater issue -- we see a significant number of people on death row being released. And, not for some technicality, but because they are totally innocent.

But, this is just the part of the problem that gets the most attention. If people are falsely convicted of murder and sentenced to death, shouldn't we also suspect that many people are wrongly convicted of lessor crimes -- convicted of lessor crimes with some of the same methods used to wrongfully convice some people of murder?

I was falsely charged with aggravated assault -- I get to say 'falsely charged' because I was found not guilty -- and I saw many of the same instances of prosecutoral misconduct that has been reported in these death penalty cases (and some of the same acts of prosecutoral misconduct that the head Pima County criminal prosecutor committed in a famous murder trial and for which he was disbared). Exculpatory evidence disappeared, incriminating evidence was not disclosed (and one piece turned out to be exculpatory -- at least it would have been if it had been disclosed before the trial started). Witnesses lied on the stand. The prosecutor misrepresented both the facts of the case and the law to the jury. And, lastly, the jury instructions turned out to be wrong.

There is more, but that should be enough to make my point. This is not about just the death penalty; it is about the entire criminal justice system which appears to be seriously broken.

And, I note that I am not really opposed to the death penalty. But, I am very much opposed to executing innocent people. Till we fix the criminal justice system, I, therefore, suggest that we should stop executing people unless they confess in open court.

Thank you for putting forward an intelligent look at the death penalty and our so-called justice system. I don't know how you did it, but I am so thankful that Deadline was aired on national television. Kudos to you for bringing this issue to the public in an intelligent thought provoking way. I pray that this is just the beginning!

Thank you and God Bless,
Aniesha Kleinhammer
California

I don't have enough time tonight to write as much as I would like about the Dateline program on the death penalty, but I will say this. It would be hard to make a more one sided film regarding the death penalty. I usually don't watch Dateline for this reason and tonight this decision was confirmed. I don't have a problem with considering the other side of an argument, but when I sat through the entire program and didn't hear any legitimate arguments for the death penalty I became frustrated. Doesn't Dateline realize that there are two sides to every issue? I have seen the poll regarding if this program influenced peoples opinion on the death penalty. I can't believe how easy it is to show one side of a story and a majority of people let it change their opinion. It just goes to show you how much influence the media has over people.

The mentality of those involved in and affected by crime is one of revenge and justice being used synonymously, that the two are the same. Many times they are not so willing to find the truth as to find the blame, wherever. Someone must pay, else their loved ones are not avenged. They feel they have got to do something, something has to come out of such a tragedy, someone must be found guilty, we can't just let this go. Denial sets in, it's him, it's him, it's got to be him no one else was found. The evidence begins to confirm what one needs, that someone be found because we just can't let this go. The mind usually seeks what is logical except under get stress then it seeks to justify what it cannot find logically. I don't, so much, blame the loved ones of victims of crimes as I do those in the legal and justice system who mislead them. But, revenge must not be a driving force for the loved ones.

This was a sham film with only one point of view. The VICTIMS and their families are totally ignorned and dismissed. Shame on Ryan and the clapping buffoons who only think about the criminals. The greatest defender of the death penalty is a former anti-death penalty person who's family member has been murdered by a paroled known repeat criminal. This issue has always been about justice and NO chance of repeating murder. It is not about how the criminal grew up, how he was abused as a child, how he was arrested, etc etc. If a case reaches this stage it has gone through many reviews. To believe that a person who has been on death row for 10 or more years is being railroaded is absolute nonsense. Shame on NBC for showing this propoganda.

Yeah Ryan, I vote for you. I support all who refuse to kill others.

I am so against the death penalty. What gives any man the right to kill any man whether in a vengeful war, or as revenge (eg d penalty).

Too few of us insist that we find other means to handle mental illness regardless of the evil manifestation (ie killing in battle to avenge a social hurt, eg 9/11 or, killing our neighbor to avenge a personal hurt eg Bundy). Too few of us refuse to use the excuse that we must have an absolute answer ie “I’m right�,,, because some Higher Power (eg God, Allah, Sudam, Bush) told me I’m right.

Too many reject all other reasonable answers for fear of displeasing our ‘God interpreters’ (Am I bias in saying that ‘Fear-God-interpreters’ are located mainly in the red states.) We need to get ‘Fear-God-interpreters’ out of the criminal system as well as out of the political system.

I personally believe in God, & I’m happy to call Her anything you want, because I believe mine is the same as yours. And, I totally fear the ‘God-interpreters’ that kill people in the name of right according to their understanding of God’s will. We so willingly murder people righteously, & so unwillingly refuse to spend the money to treat the ill people who do evil behaviors.

We so fear Scientists, & Geneticists, Psychologists, & Sociologists etc who will provide the answers if we provide the funds … yes, money. The money we spend on 12 years of appeal, after appeal due to the death penalty. The money we spend on bombs & bullets & those outrageous techno planes that every little boy (& some girls like me)loves to dream of flying.

Can we find a safe alternative to murdering Bundy? We got to the moon … I know we can find many alternatives when we find the will,,, & the money.

We fill our streets with the seriously ill to ‘protect their rights’ for the conservative value of refusing to spend money on social programs. Then we murder them when they have no resources to protect themselves from themselves, or others. Of course, then the conservatives do not have to spend money on rehabilitation programs.

Yes, I’m a very proud LIBERAL, & I love the word. I thank all the powers above, & below, that I am able to share my wealth just as the wonderful peanut pickers of Marmoris, Turkey did when they invited me to dine nightly in the hut that they slept-in after we finished the meal they shared with me, & I went home. They took care of their own, & any foreign traveler too. Islam taught them to value life.

Current Brain research is documenting the difference between the criminal brain & the healthy brain. Do we have to have all the answers to cure the damaged brain before resolving to rule out all murder including the murder inflicted on damaged souls by the court. Our justice system is so infected by a murderous religious system that totally deludes all in the belief that murder is God’s will. My God objects…. He told me so

Right on! I have always opposed the death penalty on moral grounds. Mistakes can be made, as evidenced in the film, and its use can become a political tool. I admire Governor Ryan's soul searching and commend his decision. Thanks for making this film available so the public can see another side of this issue.

I was appalled to hear how "lonely" this murder was after killing 2 people in cold blood. Boy do I feel sorry for him....not! I couldn't even finish watching it! The bible is clear on death penalty. If anyone bothered reading it. Even tho it says "thou shalt not kill", right after God stated that if anyone killed another, he too should be killed. Even Jesus forgave the thief that asked forgiveness BUT DID NOT release him from the cross. If someone so coldheartedly kills another, why do we "feel sorry" for him when he faces the same thing. I wish I could die from lethal injection rather than some painful death that most of us will suffer...just like these victims of these horrible crimes!

This was a powerful story about a man wrestling with his conscience, in the state that produced one of the greatest presidents this country has ever known. The Govenor grappled with the choices and powers vested in him by the people of his state and by the constitution of the nation in which he served.

This story illustrates true duty to country in the spirit of service to one's community.

This story illustrates a war worth fighting.

This story illustrates the process of our legal system, with all of it's problems, the suppossed best system functioning in the world today.

We are not a perfect nation. This story most illustrates a commonly held value that we tell the truth and try to do our best.

All of the people shown in the story worked through their own personal pain and played their part within the system, seemingly to the best of their abilities.

They all were willing to get involved and be heard.

It is time we stopped telling ourselves the system can't be fixed. The truth is this story only begins with the death penalty issue in the state of Illinois.

The most poignant aspects of the story, as told, were the families on both sides of the issue:

The man who turned to the mother of his daughter's murderer, his neighbor, and said he thought it was fair to apply the death penalty in this case, and the mother saying she understood.

The man whose family was victimized by a brutal murder who said he did not believe in the death penalty, and all those who spoke after him.

The mother of two beautiful children who spoke eloquently on their behalf, without benefit of a legal advocate. A woman and a mother, asking that the influence of a man in the lives of her children be taken into consideration.

So many lives irrecovably changed by their shared experience, and the extremely difficult task of coming to terms with the moral position they would assume in order to survive.

This presentation is an excellent example of the use of media, an industry created and thriving because of our right to free speech.

NBC should be proud of itself as a business tonight. The individuals involved in getting the story to air should also be proud to have produced good work.

This should be a landmark in television and only the beginning of the best kind of reality tv.

Altough I applaud what Ryan did did anyoine think what would happen to those ex-Row inmates once they got into the general population of the prisons?

There are many Correctional Officers who are now carrying out vendettas on so many of the ex-Row guys. They are planting contraband ib their cells, beating them up and making life totally unbearable and nothing is being done about it. I have been trying to get an investigation into one such case and it's impossible, with the IDOC whitewashing everything that's happening.

My fiance is in Protective Custody because inmates started threatening him as soon as he left the Row. Now it's his 'protectors' he needs protecting from. At the moment he's being forced to share a 10' x 4' cell in the Protective Custody unit with an inmate who has already killed one cellmate while the guy slept, and he pleaded insanity at his trial!! My fiance is unable to sleep because he fears for his life. This is just the latest thing that's happened to him, he's already tried to take his own life once because he couldn't take anymore.

Yes, Ryan did a good thing for those who had no more appeals left but for others he's make life a living hell!!

Rose H. Hall

In regards to the comment made by Lynnette Sheppard -
most Inmates on Death Row have not got the money to represent themselves properly and therefore they are not given the benefit of a doubt. Most DR Inmates were in the wrong place at the wrong time, and since many people are very hot on the Death Penalty they would rather see an innocent person die, to get their revenge. How just is that? Please note the comment made in the program about DR Inmates now serving life, some even having been exonarated.
Also, DR Inmates do not have cable TV nor access to the internet.
What about Frank Valdez who was beaten to death by Prison Guards? Is that what you would call justice?
The Death Penalty should be abolished. All it is, is State Sanctioned Killing. Anybody supporting this are killers too, in my opinion. The USA should follow lead and stop this slaughter now!

Yours sincerely,
Xenia King
London, England

Death row inmates are not victims; you need to distinguish between the murderers and who real victims are. In the interest of fair and accurate reporting the media needs to distinguish between the commutations, exonerations, reversals and acquittals versus findings of actual innocence. There is a difference! I’d like to think that you’d present the issue surrounding George Ryan and his decision to grant clemency to murderers on Illinois’ death row in an objective manner but I doubt that this will occur.

I doubt that George Ryan will accept responsibility for any of the proven murderer’s actions if one kills a corrections officer or commits/attempts escape after benefiting from his mass commutation. Ryan didn’t demonstrate leadership by commuting death sentences to life, he merely perpetuated an atmosphere of distrust that many friends and family members of homicide victims feel when confronted with a system that is certainly more likely to be manipulated in favor of the offender… as opposed to justice.

Ryan (and other death penalty foes) only found fault when the judicial system reversed, acquitted and exonerated using already established processes. Illinois has a “fake death penalty� as long executions are not scheduled. The wrongful execution rate in America is zero, and the safeguards to prevent innocent persons from being executed are more than sufficient, especially when compared to the dangers that proven murderers represent to themselves and to others for as long as they are allowed to live.

Govenor George Ryan made a brave decision. After the Northwestern University study uncovering many instances of wrongful conviction in capital murder cases, he had no choice.
I am still disturbedby the fact that very few politicians understand what the simple solution to this problem is. Life with no chance of parole or release under any circumstances for committing the act of murder. If convicted murderers are allowed to be parolled in the future they can murder again.

As Coordinator of CURE, S.D. I have been waiting for this film. We have many people in prison who are "NOT GUILTY". Many Sex Offenders who do not deserve to have this information splashed all over the Internet or anywhere else. Some of them are for nothing but Indecent Exposure. What a way to blast a person for such a minor, probably drunken, mistake. Some are falsely accused. We have too many suicides. Too many Health problems that go untreated. A TB case was noted a couple of days ago and I am sure there are more. We need a complete investigation into our system across the Nation. The United States of America incarcerates more people than any other country in the world anymore. It is a fact. The abuse that takes place in Iraq is brought on by our own Government and Guards who are trained in this country. We have them here in South Dakota. We build more prisons to "Warehouse" people to work for .25 per hour, fighting forest fires, picking up garbage and helping in the aftermath of storms. With NO training beforehand. There is no Rehabilitation or Health Care or Education in our prisons. Just abuse. Food is bad and more is taken away to spend less money. Pardones and Paroles has same people running it that put the people where they are. Can they expect to get out?

Where do they get jobs when they get out, with a Felony on their record? Where do they live? Eat? Get clothes, vehicle, insurance etc, to be able to stay out and keep recidivism down?

Thank you Dateline for what you are doing. A lot more is to be done. Some people pay horrendous telephone bills which incarcerated. Some are written up for small infractions and when they get enough of them they get their property taken away. TV, Newspapers, whatever. And when some are on the phone or elsewhere their files in their cells are ransacked, or evidence "PLANTED". such as drugs, money or whatever. God Bless everyone who is doing something to fight these injustices.

Thank you for doing this show. The journey of the death row mothers along with their sons is a battle and people need to know what is really going on. Your story will wake up a lot of people who know nothing about the process and how things can easily be falsified and the legal system turns it's back to ignore it. Get involved and visit a human on death row who may be innocent. Read more than just what the prosecutors say and the attorney general's office can say anything in paper work, but it's not always true. So remember to find the truth, and remember you too can get tied up in the web and need someone like me to believe in you. I hope you air this again, I know there will be a larger audience after hearing about it from others. Thank you so much, a mother in this journey. Peggy Kandies SC

I don't quite understand how people could describe this documentary as one sided. The film gave abundant screen time to those who supported the death penalty and its application in specific circumstances. And it did so through its most potent advocates: victims' families. The clemency hearings were truly gripping and appeared to give more time to the prosecutors' and victims' families' positions than the death sentenced persons' position. The pain and suffering of the families was palpable throughout.

But the criminal justice system exists, in part, to prevent vigilantism. The driving force behind vigilantism is an emotional one; its primary concern is vengeance, and truth and justice are thereby subordinated. To the extent the criminal justice system becomes merely a vessel through which vigilantism is to be inflicted, it, too, subordinates truth and justice to emotion and vengeance. This is the reason why prosecutors within such a criminal justice system take such a rigid and unflinching position on these issues. They have become mere tools of vigilantism rather than seekers of the truth of justice. And that is how innocent people wind up on death row, and why prosecutors, even in those cases where men were later exonerated, expressed certainty throughout that they "had their man" and that no "excuse" sufficed as to why that man should not be executed.

One cannot have both a criminal justice system and the death penalty. To have capital punishment is to lack a criminal justice system.

The sad fact of the matter is that victims are exploited by politicians. It is not true that public forces politicians to be "tough on crime." The death penalty exists because prosecutors want it, not because victim's families want it. Victim's families become advocates of the death penalty only because they are conditioned to believe that exacting the most heinous vengeance is how one expresses how much they loved the victim. Is that true? That's the real issue that death penalty advocates have to address. I see no reason why the measure of a persons' love for somebody should be how violently one can react to their ill-fated death. Love is not -- cannot be -- expressed in vengeance.

I applaud what Gov. Ryan did. He was very brave. He knew the backlash that would follow and investigated the policies before he made his decision. I wish more prosecuters, judges, and politicians would investigate before they vote for what they THINK the people want. I am part of the people and I have no interest in killing anyone. If they murder someone, how can we think it is ok to murder them? Hypocrites!!!

I appreciate that you are giving another view to the public, one that has been obscured. Our tax dollars support the prisons and we should have some say in how they are run.

I am against the death penalty. I am also very discouraged and appalled with our judicial system. Judges have too much power. I think that those with wealth can buy their way through and the poor don’t stand a chance. Sentencing is not the same across the board when it comes to relevant crimes. The poor get longer sentences than those that can afford good attorneys to represent them. I recently found out that 2 Judges and the Bob Barker Industry control the state of Nevada prison’s and county jail retail of items that are being sold to the prisoners. It seems that all of the items have exorbitant prices that the family members of the prisoners end up paying because they have no income to pay for the items. (Examples: a bar of soap is $8.00, a cup is $8.00, and deodorant is $8.00.) If a prisoner wants another blanket other than a horse blanket because he can’t get warm at night he must order it through the system; it cannot be sent to the prison by an outside person for that inmate. He’s charged far more than what he should be charged. I personally think it is a conflict of interest for Judges to own the retail industry in this regard because they are the ones that sentence them. Every other private sector such as Physicians must comply with rules regarding conflicts of interest, why not Judges? California is not going to follow suit with Judges owning the retail industry in the prisons here.

Look into how much MCI is charging the families of incarcerated persons in Nevada prisons to phone home. A 10 minute phone call costs the families $12.85. A 30 minute phone call costs the families $34.38. You cannot set up any other way for them to call, it’s not allowed. The families are being gouged.

Another gripe I have is when the FBI and police raid a person’s home or office and confiscate all materials to help them with their prosecution, the alleged person charged with the crime has nothing left to prepare their case in defense. They then have to wait until discovery to have any of the information available to them and by then, it’s usually too late to prepare their case. It looks as though they are being railroaded to me.

To the abolitionists - please name one individual who has been executed by any American state since 1976 and posthumously found to have been wrongfully convicted.

I bet you can't. The "exonerations" of individuals on death row does not mean they have been executed, rather it demonstrates that the appeals system works as intended.

IAM SO GLAD THAT GOV. RYAN TOOK THE STEPS HE DID TO MAKE SURE THAT NO INNOCENT MAN OR WOMEN DIED IN ILLONIS. MY HUSBAND HAS ALL READY BEEN ON DEATH ROW 19 YRS. HIS CASE IS SO CORUPETED THAT HIS JUDGES AND DA;S HAVE BEEN CHARGED IN HIS CASE. I HAVE A QUESION? IF THE DEATH PENALTY IS THE RIGHT STEP TO TAKE FOR MURDER THEN WHY DOESN;T EVERYONE WHO KILLS RECIEVE THE DEATH PENALTY? WHY DO THE COURTS PICK AND CHOOSE WHO LIVES AND WHO DIES. THANK YOU

Great blog, enjoyed browsing through the site

The film helped me understand that you cant have a law that allows the death penalty in some cases but not in others. You can have an opinion that sways back and forth -- but the law is black and white, and to keep a fair and just system for all people- the death penalty must be abolished. It also seems that life without parole is a much harsher sentence for the convicted anyway.

The statistics of possibly innocent men on death row are smothering. In the case of the West Memphis Three (www.wm3.org) you have three young men sitting in prison with not a single shred of physical evidence-just one very coerced confession from a young, scared, mentally challenged individual. Damien Echols is innocent and has been sitting on death row for over 10 years--time is running out, will he be the next statistic?
The death penalty is repulsive and archaic.

I'm curious if Gov. Ryan would have taken the courageous action he did if he had had further political ambitions beyond being Gov. of Illinois, or if he had wanted another term as Goveronor? I find it somehow sad that so many politicians choose to act against their own personal morals in the name of re-election and political advancement. Or maybe those really are their only true personal morals?

Hi, first time surfing a blog and wanted to say hello

Hello, first time here and wanted to say hi

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