Posted on 08/23/2011 11:41:42 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Texas Republican Gov. Rick Perry brings to the presidential race a law-and-order credential that none of his competitors can match — even if they wanted to.
In his nearly 11 years as chief executive, Perry, now running for the GOP presidential nomination, has overseen more executions than any governor in modern history: 234 and counting. That’s more than the combined total in next two states — Oklahoma and Virginia — since the death penalty was restored 35 years ago.
The number is partly explained by sheer longevity at the helm of a huge state that has mastered the complicated legal maze of carrying out capital punishment.
But Perry has hardly shrunk from the task.
As the 2012 presidential race unfolds, Perry’s record will inevitably become part of the debate in a country where the number of death sentences handed down continues to fall, and some states are renouncing executions. Polls show that capital punishment remains both popular and controversial. And although all of Perry’s main competitors, including President Obama, support the death penalty, Perry’s role stands out.
He vetoed a bill that would have spared the mentally retarded and sharply criticized a Supreme Court ruling that juveniles were not eligible for death. He has found during his tenure only one inmate on Texas’s crowded death row he thought should receive the lesser sentence of life in prison.
And Perry’s role in the 2004 execution of Cameron Todd Willingham — who supporters said should have been at least temporarily spared when experts warned that faulty forensic science led to his conviction — is still the subject of investigation in Texas.
Perry has been unapologetic.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
I wasn’t aware that Perry tried and executed anybody
Wish the number was higher.
“Rick Perry holds the record on executions”
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Don’t be a murderer in Texas... What’s the problem??
This goes in the plus column.
In the words of Ron White...”We have the death penalty in Texas....and we use it!!!!
This can’t be true. Perry is a Bilderberg guy after all. He also was a Democrat and bought a bottle of French wine once. A real flaming Lib. I learned this on FR don’tcha know.
If you come to Texas and kill one of us, we’ll kill you back.
Funny how the liberal nitwits think this is a negative...
We Texans aren’t in favor of the Electric Chair. No Sir.
We REALLY like them Electric Bleachers.
Well, they DO lose a live voter.
Not that the deceased won't vote, but they're just not as talkative.
The TTC was actually an expressway to Huntsville.
I saw a sign in front of a rural gun shop - IF YOU ARE HERE IN THE NIGHT, YOU WILL STILL BE HERE IN THE MORNING.
Right. Like he personally makes those happen..
However, DON’T MESS WITH TEXAS!
“I wasn’t aware that Perry tried and executed anybody”
...oh yeah. That’s what Perry insisted on when sworn in. He wanted to personally try them, convict, cook their last meal and escort them to the death chamber. Then he digs the hole. ~sarc
As comedian Ron White says, “I like Texas..they say if you kill somebody in our state, we’ll kill you back!”
If I understand TX law, their capitol cases are like a freight train that nobody can stop, even the governor, without some extra-big reason to interfere.
The rate of recidivism among the executed is very low.
you know all those “Chuck Norris” jokes?
Just substituting the name “Rick Perry” ......
Rick Perry’s boots are made of actual cowboys
Rick Perry uses paper to cut scissors
Rick Perry doesn’t use a towel after he showers, he just tells the water to get the he!! off
yada yada yada
The finally put in the 3rd to last paragraph what really happens: The Governor does not get involved in any death prosecutions or sentencing and can ONLY postpone a death sentence up to 30 days - unless the Board of Pardons and Paroles recommends a full commutation - which is rarely. Under the Constitution, the Governor can’t impose a moratorium.
In other words, he happened to be Governor in a State with very tough death penalty laws, but has little authority to do much about it. A totally differnet take than the headline or first 3/4 of the article would have you think.
Nice job, WaPo.
And is this a bad thing? I applaud it. We need alot more of it out here in CA.
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