Society
Out Of The Borders
Colorado is off death row Another step forward towards the end of death penalty
by Sara Angioletti
We all agree on affirming that human life’s value is countless and that we should treat every
human being with dignity and respect. But during 2020, the debate on the right to life has raised conflicting feelings. The two most significant constants of our existence, life and death, have caused an uproar in the squares and parliamentary halls—the right to abortion, the legalization of euthanasia and finally, the death penalty.
Colorado abolished the death penalty
On
March 23rd 2020, Governor Jared Polis abolished the death penalty in Colorado, USA, an event that marked a victory for some and a defeat for others. Further confirmation of how much the right to life is still debated, especially in its various political interpretations.
last time Colorado state sentenced someone to death and the final execution was carried out in 1997.
At this time, the only sentences that have un-
dergone a radical change are those of the three now-former death row prisoners Nathan Dunlap, Sir Mario Owens, and Robert Ray, who now face The new law has been applied since July 1st life in prison. 2020, and it’s not retroactive. It means that those who have pending cases could still be But as Governor Polis said in his statement condemned to death. However, it seems very un- “Commutations are typically granted to reflect likely as almost a decade has passed since the evidence of extraordinary change in the offender. That is not why I am commuting these sentences to life in prison without the possibility of parole. […] Rather, the commutations of these despicable and guilty individuals are consistent with the abolition of the death penalty in the State of Colorado, and consistent with the recognition that the death penalty cannot be, and never has been, administered equitably in the State of Colorado”. Therefore, the decision was made not for humanitarian reasons, but just “to reflect what is now Colorado law”. Execution chamber for lethal injection
© Lucinda Devlin/ Galerie m Bochum
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