There are many reasons I am against the death penalty. First, it is a violation of the Eight’s Amendments cruel and unusual punishment. The death penalty is a clear hypocrisy to the original purpose of our justice system, which is to rehabilitate. Why would a state kill their own people to prove that killing other people is wrong? The idea in and of itself is preposterous. Secondly, the death penalty repeatedly proves itself to be racist, discriminatory to the poor, and a system that has convicted the innocent. Statistics have shown that racial bias exists in the application of the death penalty, including the fact that although over 50% of murder victims are Black, over 83% of the victims in death penalty cases are White. Unfortunately, there are cases in which mentally ill patients are on death row and have been executed. One of the most critical cases that can set precedent for the Supreme Court is Panetti v. Quarterman (2007). Although I severely disagree with the actions of Panetti, I am a believer in equal justice and human rights in the legal system.

Scott Panetti has been hospitalized 14 times in 6 institutions for symptoms of schizophrenia, manic depression, auditory hallucinations, and paranoid delusions marked by religiosity. He is responsible for murdering his estranged wife parents and holding her and their daughter in hostage. Before his capital murder trial, he decided that his attorneys were part of a conspiracy against him and insisted on representing himself in court. Dressed in a purple cowboy outfit, Panetti came into the courtroom rambling incoherently and “preaching the gospel.” During trial, he attempted to subpoena John F. Kennedy, Jesus Christ, Anne Bancroft, and many other “witnesses.” I cannot believe the judge even let this continue. He was clearly showing that he had no clue what was happening and all of these problems were ignored. When asked did he know why he would be executed, he replied, “. . . they say it’s because of the murders, but I know it’s because they [the state] does not want me preaching gospel in prison . . .” Apparently Panetti never showed a clear sign of competency from the beginning.