Why is the mayor of Kansas City recommending state sanctioned murder?

Why is the mayor of Kansas City recommending state sanctioned murder as a response to violence in our communities?

Death is not justice. It does not deter violence. The only message the death penalty sends is that it is okay to perpetuate violence.

Let's look at the facts:

• He seems out of touch with his constituents, the majority of whom do not endorse capital punishment and are in favor of restorative practices. The last person executed from Clay county occurred in the 1990s. In Missouri, no jury has sentenced someone to death since 2013, and the last judge sentence of death occurred in 2018.

• The death penalty does not bring closure to victims families. It creates decades of traumatization and exposure to court systems that are not intended to alleviate or help grieving families. Victims' families deserve services grounded in care and restoration.

• There is NO reliable evidence that the death penalty deters murder. The death penalty draws away resources from effective public safety policies & distorts elections of judges & prosecutors by privileging “tough on crime” rhetoric & candidates.

• National surveys of police chiefs and law enforcement officials have said they did not believe the death penalty is a deterrent to murder, rating it as one of most inefficient uses of taxpayer dollars.

• The death penalty is MORE EXPENSIVE than life imprisonment without parole, costing taxpayers who desperately need resources to address root causes of violence. The death penalty is an expensive and wasteful government program.

• Lack of proper counsel is a defining feature of the death penalty. Inadequate defense lawyers contribute to wrongful convictions & death sentences, & by failing to object at trial, they make it harder to correct errors on appeal.

• The Death Penalty is supposed to be reserved for the most culpable, instead it is inflicted on the most vulnerable.

We need a response to violent crime in Missouri that does not perpetuate cycles of violence. We must address the root causes of crime as we seek true restoration and healing for victims and our communities. Until then, we will continue to stand with those who face this barbaric and unjust punishment. Abolish the death penalty. - MADP