A Dead Man Is Good For Nothing - 2258 Words

Alexandra Hernandez English 1A Mr. Gejeian 5 July, 2015 Argumentative Essay A Dead Man is Good for Nothing In 1995 Duane Buck was convicted for the murder of his former girlfriend Debra Gardner and her friend Kenneth Butler. He was sentenced to death in 1997 and his case should definitely not be taken lightly, but Buck was given the death penalty over life in prison because of the fact that he was an African American. A state psychologist in his case, Dr. Quijano, argued that African American criminals are more susceptible to pose a future danger to the public, and this was the key testimony that the prosecutor relied on. Since then, his case has not been reopened. It was later admitted by a district attorney at the time of Buck’s case that African American jurors were routinely dismissed by prosecutors. In 2011, his lawyer argued that he deserved a new sentencing hearing without tainted prejudicial testimony, but his request was ultimately denied and they continued with the set execution date. The death penalty is prejudice and goes against all relig ious beliefs, but death overall is a cruel and unusual punishment and should not be used as a form of punishment by the government. Despite the fact that African Americans make up to just over thirteen percent of the nation’s population, more than forty percent of those currently on the federal death row are African American. Many may say or believe that the justice system is fair or honorable but the truth is that theShow MoreRelatedThe Snow Man by Wallace Stevens1518 Words   |  7 Pagesan afterlife. In his poem â€Å"The Snow Man†, Stevens describes a harsh winter environment creating a unique dramatic situation through an effective imagery. 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