Re: Thoughts on homepages for felons?
Mike Radelet (DSJ2RN2@nervm.nerdc.ufl.edu)
Wed, 20 Aug 97 10:01:10 EDT
Hi Hal,
No, I do not believe death row inmates should, or should be
encouraged to, do what their lawyers do not want them to do (there are
exceptions, but these are rare). The issue comes up in debates over
consensual executions -- it's my life and I'll do what I want to. I
think that actions of a given inmate can affect not only himself, but
also other death row inmates. Giving up appeals makes it easier for the
state to kill. Being a liar, making false protestations of innocence, etc.
give all death row inmates a bad name (e.g., it makes it more difficult
for a legitimate claim of innocence to be heard).
On the same general topic, what if an inmate puts poetry on his
web site? I realize that I may be unique here, but in death penalty
debates, I can counter EVERY pro death penalty argument except one -- the
poetry argument. I fear the day that, while debating Ernest van den Haag,
he pulls out his cigar and some poetry downloaded from a condemned inmate's
web site, and starts to read it to the audience. I suspect most would
rush to find cabs, wanting to go to the prison and kill the inmate
themselves. It is a tough pro-death penalty argument to counter. And the
same goes for most death row art.
Just kidding.