Despite a decrease in death penalty usage, Texas led the nation in executions this year.
The state has significantly reduced its reliance on the death penalty, with the smallest death row population since 1985.
However, Texas remains an outlier in executions, carrying out eight this year. (Trending: Dr. Fauci Says the Unthinkable About Going To Church)
In 1988, when Syed Rabbani began serving his death sentence, he was a physically healthy 23-year-old – slight, round-faced, with jet-black hair and a hesitant smile. Today, he is in a near-vegetative state, crippled by a variety of illnesses. https://t.co/x2etrV9KZ3
— Sister Helen Prejean (@helenprejean) December 5, 2023
Reports highlight systemic flaws, including racial bias and inadequate defense, leading to troubling concerns about the fairness of the death penalty system.
“Their trials, many of which took place decades ago, were plagued by egregious flaws ― including racial bias, junk science, testimony confusing jury instructions, and inflammatory testimony ― and their post-conviction appeals raised troubling concerns about the fairness of the death penalty system,” TCADP wrote.
“What is even more appalling is that most of their jurors never heard about these impairments, or the traumatic life stories of the men they sentenced to death,” TCADP Executive Director Kristin Houlé Cuellar said.
“Now, after hearing compelling mitigating evidence about these impairments from appellate attorneys, jurors in several cases said they would have changed their verdict or at least supported a stay of execution for further review,” she added.
“It is obvious that many of these executed individuals never would have received a death sentence if they were charged or tried today.”
“In 1988, when Syed Rabbani began serving his death sentence, he was a physically healthy 23-year-old ― slight, round-faced, with jet-black hair and a hesitant smile. Today, he is in a near-vegetative state, crippled by a variety of illnesses,” Sister Helen Prejean posted.
“Rabbani’s legal appeal challenging his death sentence, which would ultimately prove successful, languished in the Harris County courts for decades,” she added.
“His defense attorneys neglected to pursue it, effectively abandoning Rabbani and leaving unrepresented for years.”
“Receiving a death sentence or being executed amounts to a ‘lethal lottery,’ one that does nothing to deter crime or promote public safety,” Cuellar said.
“The randomness of capital punishment ― coupled with the egregiously flawed cases of those who remain on death row ― should compel Texans to abandon the death penalty altogether.”
“Texas’ use of the death penalty continues to tarnish our state’s reputation as a stronghold for life, liberty and limited government,” said Nan Tolson, director of Texas Conservatives Concerned About the Death Penalty.
“Texans deserve better than the broken, ineffective system of capital punishment,” Tolson added.
“It’s time for the Lone Star State to invest in real solutions that will keep our communities safe and truly uphold our values.”
Additionally, the state’s capital punishment system disproportionately impacts Black and brown communities.
Calls for abandoning the death penalty in favor of more effective solutions have been voiced.
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