To: LETTERS, and all editors and Catholic News Service
Tidings
It is clear that Professor Davidson has done much to avoid some realities of the death penalty. ("The death penalty: A reversal in trends", TIDINGS, July 1, 2005).
Professor Davidson wants us to believe that there has been a reduction in support for the death penalty.
Somehow, with all of his research, Davidson didn't know that the May, 2005 Gallup poll showed 74% support for the death penalty, just as it was in May, 2003. Catholic support is now at 70%. This is in response to the general polling question "Do you support the death penalty for murder."
When asked about specific cases, when people know the actual facts of that case, 81% of the American people supported the execution of Timothy McVeigh, with only 16% opposed. (Gallup 5/2/01). "(T)his view appears to be the consensus of all major groups in society, including men, women, whites, nonwhites, "liberals" and "conservatives." "81% of Connecticut citizens supported the execution of serial rapist/murderer Michael Ross (Jan 2005).
The 81% reflects the real support for the death penalty, because it asks about specific cases, just as the death penalty is enforced.
Professor Davidson wants us to believe that we are seeing more support for a life sentence and less support for a death sentence, when polling asks people which they support.
Somehow, with all his research, Davidson didn't find that, given those choices, 56% of Americans support the death penalty, 29% support a life sentence. (also Gallup, 2005). Davidson decided to show an older poll which showed 44% support for life and 53% support for death.
However, this is poor methodology for polling of the death penalty. The death penalty is a choice of at least two different punishments. Gallup asks the question as if only one option should be available.
The proper polling question is "Should juries have the choice of selecting between life and death as sentences in murder case?" Based upon supportive polling data, the answer to that question would also be near 80%.
The majority of those polled also said the death penalty was not used enough. (Gallup, 5/05)
Professor Davidson wants us to believe that the recent and dramatic reduction in death sentences is due to some reduction in support for the death penalty.
Somehow, with all his research, Davidson, didn't know that the recent reductions in death sentences are, almost entirely, due to the dramatic reductions in murders - about 40% - and more properly, the reduction in felony murders - over 50% - as per the FBI.
Any other small components of that reduction are easily found within three major US Supreme Court decisions - Ring, Atkins and Roper - which have all had an effect death penalty cases for some years.
Perhaps, with all his research, we could conclude that Professor Davidson just didn't want anyone to know this information, particularly in a Catholic publication. Surely not.
Dudley Sharp, Justice Matters
Houston, Texas
Mr. Sharp has appeared on ABC, CBS, CNN, FOX, NBC, NPR, PBS, BBC and many other TV and radio networks, on such programs as Nightline, The News Hour with Jim Lehrer, The O'Reilly Factor, etc., has been quoted in newspapers throughout the world and is a published author.
Pro death penalty sites
www.cjlf.org/deathpenalty/DPinformation.htm
http://www.clarkprosecutor.org/html/links/dplinks.htm
www.dpinfo.com/
www.prodeathpenalty.com
http://www.prodeathpenalty.org/
http://www.yesdeathpenalty.com/ (Sweden)
www.wesleylowe.com/cp.html
www.vuac.org/capital
