Death penalty foes rap Ashcroft

[Whoa_Nelly]

Death penalty foes rap Ashcroft

Seen to be expanding capital punishment
By Shelley Murphy, Globe Staff, 9/20/2003

Critics of the federal death penalty have accused US Attorney General John Ashcroft of using the law to target defendants in states like Massachusetts that don't have capital punishment in a bid to "nationalize" the death penalty.

The criticism came this week as it was revealed that federal prosecutors in Boston, with Ashcroft's endorsement, will seek the death penalty for two Dorchester gang members charged with murdering a rival at the city's Caribbean Carnival two years ago. It is the third time the federal death penalty has been sought in Massachusetts, and the second case brought during Ashcroft's tenure.

"It appears to be a strategy to ensure that the federal death penalty is widely applied throughout the country without regard to the attitudes and beliefs and policies of the people in each state," said David Bruck, a South Carolina attorney with the Death Penalty Resource Counsel Project. "I think it reflects a determination to nationalize capital punishment, which has always been treated as a local matter."

Since his appointment in February 2001, Ashcroft has authorized the federal death penalty for 93 defendants, including 37 cases in which local federal prosecutors had recommended against it, according to the Death Penalty Resource Counsel. Seven of those cases were in states that don't have the death penalty.

more...
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2003/09/20/death_penalty_foes_rap_ashcroft/

[Brucey]

1. Ashcroft fits right in with the other killers:

In a debate with Gore, Bush was full of glee when talking about executions in Texas. Cheney was asked to approve dozens of bombings in Iraq that would harm many civilians, and he approved every single request. No problem. No conscience.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. Inconsistancies

Now, I don't understand Ashcroft. He is all for "right to life", forcing women to have unwanted children, but he's for executions. Isn't that a tad bit hypocritical?

[Whoa_Nelly]

3. Asscrack

only does what the Crisco gods tell him to do.
Oily voices in his head...

[jiacinto]

4. I support the death penalty

I just don't understand the concern for criminals that I see here.

[Whoa_Nelly]

5. Maybe you are missing the point

as the death penalty is a states issue, not one to be mandated and/or be overridden by Asscrack. Nor is it Johnny-boy's place to be making the decisions on a case-by-case- basis per state-to-state...he is exercising power over states' rights to legislation and implementation of statutes regarding the acceptance and use or not of the death penalty.

[XanaDUer]

6. Because

the death penalty can be seen as cruel and unususal punishment.

Also, it is inequitably applied to the poor and minorities. Even one person innocent of the crime that they were sentenced to death for who was executed is one too many.

A country that extends fairness to even the worst criminal (like healthcare, legal aid, etc.) is a measuring stick of how it protects human rights. Criminals are still humans, after all.

[BlackWidow]

8. Although both Angel and Liberty make good points,

I think Angel really hit the issue. The decision on whether to instate the death penaly is supposed to be a states issue, like marriage. Asscroft is taking that decision away from the states because he doesn't agree with their decision. If that isn't an abuse of power, I don't know what is.

[newyawker99]

12. Hi BlackWidow!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Whoa_Nelly]

13. After giving this news more thought

and re-reading it, the key word is "federal". which is used throughout the article. Although on the surface this appears to be about some gang members involved in a murder, I think it goes deeper than that. I think that Asscrack is using the Federal Racketeering Act and there is information re: that the gang involved is involved across state lines, thus making this come under USDOJ jurisdiction rather than just MA jurisdiction.

on edit: I still :puke: at thought of Johnny having any say-so in this country.

[veganwitch]

15. why am in not surprised.

ugh.

[MasonJar]

7. Asscrass

I will never understand how these erstwhile, so-called Christians like Asscrass and Stump square their overwhelming urge to submit fellow beings to death with the teachings of Jesus Christ. Episcopalians do not think that way and neither did Christ.

[American Renaissance]

9. States Rights! States Rights!

Or something,

[FlemingsGhost]

10. Is high treason still punishable by death?

If so, I might have to rethink my stance on the death penalty.

[Democat]

11. Bigger government, more federal government power

Aschroft will be a big help for Democrats in the 2004 election.

[Flubadubya]

14. Isn't is just like a true Christian...

to advocate for a universal death penalty? NOT! Christians in this country ought to ostracize this man. How can he call himself a Christian and get away with it? He's the hound from HELL and should be ex-communicated (or whatever one does to unreconstructed hypocrites).