Your Opinion: Evidence supports repeal of death penalty

Dear Editor:

The American Bar Association recently released a two-year study of Missouri's death penalty system. The report showed serious flaws in the way we carry out capital punishment in our state. The team that conducted the study had varying positions on the death penalty and included judges appointed by both Republicans and Democrats. Judge Stephen Limbaugh, Jr. (cousin of Rush Limbaugh) was a member of the team.

The goal of the study team was to ensure that Missouri's death sentencing was "fair and accurate." Among the problems found by the team include: too many aggravating circumstances that prosecutors can use to seek death; no consistent eyewitness identification and interrogation procedures to prevent wrongful convictions; lack of prosecutorial oversight to prevent innocence; failure to store and re-test DNA evidence that might later prove innocence; lack of a uniform, statewide system for collecting data on charging, prosecution and conviction in all capital-eligible cases; and lack of funding for training and services (particularly for defense counsel) to ensure competent representation at capital trials.

These recommendations are significant if Missouri is to ensure consistency in death sentencing and to prevent an innocent person from wrongful conviction. Unfortunately to fix all the "flaws" noted in the study would be time consuming and expensive. Rather than trying to repair a broken system, Missouri should seriously consider joining other states that have repealed the death penalty. It makes better sense for Missouri to spend its limited resources on areas more beneficial to its citizens, such as funding quality education and improving transportation.