Foreign Correspondent tonight played an outstanding piece by American correspondent Mark Simkin called ‘USA – Death on Trial’ about the current debate in the United States on the death penalty. If someone is guilty of an awful crime – one so bad we cannot even begin to believe a human being could have done it – should that person die for it and should they suffer or be tortured for it?
Simkin finds some extraordinary cases in the United States of wrongful convictions and near innocent death penalties. He also examines the way that prisoners are killed on death row - not so painless as people imagine – which has lead to the USA halting all death penalty executions until a court ruling. This piece was as disturbing as it was enthralling.
If you missed it go to http://www.abc.net.au/foreign/content/2008/s2191145.htm
