pus review of capitalconvictions, placing its confidence in the notion that state judges, who take the same oath ofoffice as federal judges to uphold the Constitution, can be trusted to enforce it.(Bright 768) Thismakes for the biased trying of a defendants appeals, given the overwhelming pressure onelected state judges to heed, and perhaps even lead to, the popular cries for the death of criminaldefendants.(Bright 769) Thirty two of the states that impose the death penalty also employ thepopular election of judges, and several of these even have judges run with party affiliations. Thiscreates a deeply political justice system -- the words alone are a paradox. Can society simplybrush off mistaken execution as an incidental cost in the greater scheme of putting a criminal todeath? Revenge is an unworthy motive for our society to pursue.(Whittier 1) In our society, there is agreat expectation placed on the family of a victim to pursue vengeance to the highest degree -- thedeath penalty. Pat Bane, executive director of the Murder Victims Families for Reconciliation(MVFR), stated, One parent told me that people made her feel like she was betraying her sonbecause she did not want to kill the person who murdered him.(Frame 50) This creates adilemma of morality. If anything, by forcing families to seek the death penalty, their ownconsciences will be burdened by the death of the killer. Furthermore, [k]illing him will not bringback your son[s].(Grisham 402). At some point, man must stop the violence. Seeking temporarygratification is not a logical basis for whether the death penalty should be imposed. Granted,revenge is easily confused with retribution, and most would agree that the punishment should fitthe crime, but can society really justify murdering someone else simply on the basis that theydeserved it? Government has the right and duty to protect the greater good against people whojeopardize the welfare of society, but a killer can be sen...
