William Edwards: “Mr. Chairman, I think we ought to make it very clear that all of the…”

On the recordApril 14, 1994

Mr. Chairman, I think we ought to make it very clear that all of the evidence is that there is no deterrence in death penalties. I do not know how many of you saw McNeil-Lehrer 3 nights ago where a triple murderer was asked over and over again by Robert McNeil, ``Didn't you know if you murdered those people, you could get the death penalty?'' He said, ``No, of course I didn't think about that.'' He said, ``It doesn't deter anything. You feel you have to do it, you don't think you are going to get caught, and that's it.'' And he said, ``Throughout the prisons where I have been incarcerated, everyone has the same attitude.'' There are 13 States that do not have the death penalty, and I can assure my colleagues that their murder rate is no higher in those States than in the rest of the country, including States like California that have the death penalty.

Said by

William Edwards

Democratic · California

Source

govinfo.gov

Editor's note · Context

Discussing the lack of deterrence associated with the death penalty during a debate on an amendment.

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William Edwards: “Mr. Chairman, I think we ought to make it very clear that all of the evidence is that there is no deterrence in death…”

Editor's note · Context