Carlisle Sentinel: "The death penalty has served its time"

On Tuesday, the Carlisle Sentinel became the latest PA newspaper to recognize that

The death penalty is useless.

The editorial follows up a series of articles published last Sunday about capital punishment in the Commonwealth and around the country. The Sentinel has moved in the same direction as public opinion. Last year's Gallup poll showed that more Americans support life without parole over the death penalty.

Death penalty supporters point to the victims and their families as they argue for the punishment. But what about the families? What about the lengthy trial that compounds the anguish of their loved one's awful death? What about the years of awaiting appeal court decisions? And perhaps most important, what about their feelings on the occasions the defendant was wrongfully convicted?

As has been pointed out here before, the issue of capital punishment is clearly moving in our direction with death sentences at a 30-year low, executions down, and public opinion coming our. The Sentinel's editorial further proves that point. When a small town paper recognizes that the death penalty is failed public policy, we know we are moving forward.

Andy in Harrisburg