I applaud Inslee’s action

I very much want to applaud Gov. Inslee on his decision to suspend the death penalty. Killing is wrong, it always has been. We were all taught that in the second grade and it still applies. It takes a strong person to stand up and say so.

State sanctioned murder serves no purpose whatsoever. The capital punishment system is flawed beyond recovery. It was believed that it would deter crime, it didn’t. It was believed that it would be administered fairly, it isn’t. It was believed that it would give families justice, it didn’t, it only served revenge. It was believed that it was humane, it isn’t. The death penalty has failed Washington state, and the nation for that matter, at every turn and there is no possibility that it will ever make things right. Innocents have died by our death penalty system. Grosser guilty have gone free while lesser criminals have died and the cost to taxpayers is enormous. It’s cheaper to keep them locked in a cage rather than pay to play out a capital case. As a nation we have to face our lust for blood and deny it. Capital punishment says far more about our society than it does the criminals.

Thank you, Gov. Jay Inslee.

Michelle Hall

Everett