| As much as I agree that we "coddle our killers", I believe that the appeals process is necessary to the judicial process. The issue of guilt or innocence is of the utmost importance. There were people convicted of murders back in the 70's that, due to the introduction of DNA testing to forensics in recent years, were later proven to be entirely innocent. IMO, a conviction is not what eliminates all doubt: the appeals process is. Our system is not perfect and the only thing that should be expedient about it is the right to a trial; not the execution of a death conviction. |