Petit Case: Is the Death Penalty Fair Justice for Murder?

One man's opinion on the matter of the death penalty is adamantly in its favor. That's because members of his family were killed, and he wants justice. But is one man's opinion enough to continue the death penalty in the United States?

Dr. Pettit philosophizes about the death penalty in his article published today in a Hartford, Connecticut newspaper. He begins by quoting philosopher John Rawls in his statement, “Justice is the first virtue of social institutions. It goes on to talk about the loss of victims and their families and maintains at the death penalty is it just and reasonable penalty for those who commit murder. He says he supports it not for revenge because it prevents murderers from ever harming again. He goes on to show how many citizens in his state, which he quotes at 61%, favor the death penalty for capital felony offenses. He declares that lawmakers should make laws that correspond with public opinion in this matter. The author’s wife, Jennifer, and daughters Hayley and Michaela were killed at the family home in Cheshire in the summer of 2007. Two paroled prisoners are charged with the crimes and presently waiting for trial in this case. The Death Penalty Information Center found in a survey of public opinion that a majority of Americans are concerned about errors in the death penalty cases and are concerned about them because of it. Many say they wouldn’t want to serve on a jury involving the death penalty because of that. Northwestern University’s Law Center regularly has been examining cases of people to determine whether they have been wrongfully convicted. They list on their website the numbers of offenders who have been released from prison after decades of serving time for crimes they didn’t commit. Some of these crimes were murder. One dramatic case was written about this month in the Chicago Sun Times. 16 years ago, Thaddeus Jimenez, 13 years old at the time, was arrested, tried and sentenced to life for a street gang murder on Chicago's Northwest Side. His claims of innocence went unheeded, and he served 17 years in jail until he was exonerated. The Law Center had been working on his case for several years. Cook County Criminal Court Judge Joseph Claps vacated Jimenez's conviction after reviewing documents that established Jimenez innocence. Jiminez was recently released from Hill Correctional Center in Illinois, and another man suspected of the murder was arrested Friday for the murder for which Jiminez was wrongly convicted. Petit’s opinion represents a point of view from a member of a victim’s family. Those who have family members wrongfully convicted may have another point of view. The issue itself remains complicated because of that.