Should Ballard get death penalty if convicted in Wesley Mullins' death case?

The first death penalty case in Bourbon County in some 40 years is scheduled to begin next month when Lewis Ballard is tried for the murder of six year old Wesley Mullins. Do you think the death penalty should be imposed? Vote and obtain more information at http://jimbrannon.typepad.com/

Death penalty cases are not very common to Bourbon County but there have been a few in neighboring counties. I have tried three murder cases in the last several years, only one of which was a capital or death penalty case, that being a case out of Harrison County. All of my cases were acquittals so I did not have to endure the actual penalty phase of the trial.

More than 300 citizens of Bourbon County are likely to be brought in for jury selection for the Ballard trial which is scheduled to last for most of the month of October.  The question of the month may well be "What do you think about the death penalty."

Some of the pros and cons for the death penalty include the following: Pros include deterrence of crime, closure to the victim's family, makes an example out of a criminal, and that it gives a certain finality to the matter. Cons include arguments that it costs more than life in prison, that it is barbaric and cruel and unusual punishment, that there is a chance an Innocent person could be put to death, and that some of those executed may be sick or insane.

What do you think? Be sure to vote in the poll at the bottom of this screen. And watch for updates here and in the Bourbon County Citizen each Wednesday.

Comments

[twitter.com/ofcounselinKY]

I do not have your experience in capital cases but the problems of a death penalty case would keep me up at night. Problems occur in the justice system and juries can be wrong. If a jury gets the death penalty wrong and the defendant is executed you your can not fix that.