One of the oddest aspects of criminal law in Texas is that a DA has the sole discretion of whether to seek the death penalty in capital murder cases. If the DA "waives" the death penalty, then a defendant is automatically sentenced to life in prison in the event he is convicted.
But there is no set standard as to why or how a DA comes to the decision not to seek death.
Take for example what happened in Victoria County this week. The DA, M. P. "Dexter"Eaves, waived the death penalty on a guy and explained his reasoning this way: "There is always hope for everybody. If there is hope that they will find God, then I won't go forward with the death penalty."
The right wing stuff is getting confusing.
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8.12.2005
Atheists Beware
One of the oddest aspects of criminal law in Texas is that a DA has the sole discretion of whether to seek the death penalty in capital murder cases. If the DA "waives" the death penalty, then a defendant is automatically sentenced to life in prison in the event he is convicted.
But there is no set standard as to why or how a DA comes to the decision not to seek death.
Take for example what happened in Victoria County this week. The DA, M. P. "Dexter"Eaves, waived the death penalty on a guy and explained his reasoning this way: "There is always hope for everybody. If there is hope that they will find God, then I won't go forward with the death penalty."
The right wing stuff is getting confusing.