In-class Essay #2: Propositions/Fallacies

Vote “No!” on Prop 34

California is a wonderful state. It has always gives people hopes and dreams. Even though, California has the beautiful sunrise, beaches, and fascinating landscapes, yet, nothing is perfect in this world, and same as California because there is always a downside of everything. Since 1968, there are about 3 person have been killed in California every single month. Over 44 years, around 729 people have been convicted as murderers and putting on the death row. The statistic has shown that those murderers have brutally killed at least 1,279 people, and there are 230 of them were children. At least 211 of them were raped, and 319 of them robbed. 66 victims were killed execution style, usually bound and shot in the back of the head. 47 victims were tortured. Proposition 34 has clearly stated that instead off putting those murderers on the death row as punishment, it will be replaced as “life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.” It guarantees that no innocent people will get killed. But are those criminals really innocent? Why should someone who has committed to a terrific crime be able to live? There is no good reason. Proposition 34 has definitely presented several false and mislead arguments to persuade voters to pass it and abolish the death penalty in California.

Since the death penalty reinstated in 1968, there were only 13 inmates have been executed over 729 in the pass 44 years, and a lot of them die from old age before the execution. There are still 716 of them left on the death roll. According to “Connections Health Care Costs”, it stated that “Heath care costs for older inmates are much higher than for younger inmates. Current estimate (2004) suggest that it costs about $70,000 annually to incarcerate an inmate over age of 60, where are younger inmates costs $22,000.” In this case, Proposition 34 has ignored the increased medical costs for aging inmates. The costs of life imprisonment has far exceed than what California can afford. Under this proposition, it would be more costly for California.

Furthermore, California’s Governor Jerry Brown does not believe that there are innocent people on death row in California. He explained in a debate in 2010, that the death penalty is “working according to the Constitution to the United States, I can tell you that. That requires highly competent counsel and expert witnesses to be hired and all the rest of it.” Governor Brown added, “As Attorney General, I think the representation was good. I think people have gotten exquisite due process in the state of California. It goes on for 20 or 25 years and to think that they’ve missed anything like they have in some other states; I have not seen any evidence of it. None. I know people say, ‘Oh, there have been all these innocent people,’ Well, I have not seen one name on death row that’s been told to me.” Brown’s statements are very genuine because in order to qualify one on the death row, the crime must be a first-degree murder, and there are must be special circumstances in the case like murder during rape or sexual assault; murder of a child during and act of sexual abuse; torture murder, or serial murder etc. Also, according to California’s court system, it has includes the trail and appellate process to ensures innocents are not executed.

            On the other hand, in September 2011, the voter’s opinion towards keeping the death penalty was higher comparing to 2000 (63%), and the range has changed from 63% to 72% for registered California voters. In “The Field Poll” a survey of public opinion established in 1947 has mentioned that, “Very large majorities of both Republicans (81%) and non-partisans (70%) support keeping the death penalty as a punishment alternatives. But smaller majority of Democrats (57%) also favors its continuation.” Clearly, those in favor of abolishing the death penalty are not in majority and their efforts to convince voters to join their “winning side” are based upon false statements.

            There is another wrong argument in Proposition 34, which is it requires people who found guilty of murder work and also pay restitution into a victim’s compensation fund. The truth has stated in the SAFE Act, Section 3 that restitution applies only “where the prisoner owes a restitution or restitution order.” And many people on the death row have no such order. In many cases, “restitution” is like a bribe for victims, which is irrelevant and meaningless because inmates only earn $0.08 to $0.37 per hour. Their maximum monthly earnings at highest available rate are $56. These killers are responsible for the death of 1,279 victims, so the average for each victim would be $383 per year. If this amount has to divide by the number of family members for each person killed, the amount is meaningless. And for the most of the victim families, money is not necessary, because they have already lost their love ones. 

            Mary Lou Canady, whose daughter Linda Ann Canady was brutally raped, murdered and dumped in a drainage ditch in Imperial County in 1985. On May 1^st, 1992, 19 years old Jason White was killed in the shooting at Lindhurst High School. May 16^th, 1996, 12 years old Michael Lyons has been tortured within 10 hours and murdered. Many victims family suffers daily, and there are still a lot people are not been fully aware of the crime that the inmates sitting on the death row have committed, and voters really have to invest their time to think before they make their decision. All these innocent victims have been brutally tortured and killed, and in the same time, there family members are not going to give up to stand up and fight for their lost loves and the only justice for them is the death penalty.

            We need a safer California, and we also need a capital punishment to provide that, “life imprisonment with impossibility of parole “ is not a guarantee.