Consider This...

August 18, 2006

Another Thursday night passes with another North Carolinian killed by the state.

Who was it for?

Samuel Flippen was executed under cover of darkness last night for the 1995 death of Britnie Hutton.

We know that the death penalty is a crapshoot. We know it is more expensive than a life sentence. We know it isn’t a deterrent.

So why do we still execute? Many execution supporters will tell you that it’s good for the victims’ families.

Now it’s looking like not even that reason holds water. The father of Britnie Hutton issued a public statement that said in part, “I think justice will be better served letting [Flippen] live.”

So the Flippen execution marks the third consecutive N.C. execution at which at least some victims’ family members pleaded for the defendant to be given a life sentence instead of death.

With each new death it gets harder and harder to justify killing in all our names.

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