Cruelty of death row

I am writing to express the need for public awareness in the area of capital punishment and death row in Washington. According to the Department of Corrections, capital punishment is still in effect, with nine men currently serving time on death row. One has awaited his execution for 23 years, meanwhile undergoing solitary confinement in harsh conditions.

This cruel treatment is known as death row phenomena and death row syndrome, and can lead to psychological mental illnesses. The Eighth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states that no man may be subjected to cruel and unusual punishment. As one who wants to abolish the death penalty in Washington, I am by no means justifying the horrific deeds of those on death row, but rather standing with the Most Reverend Joseph A. Fiorenza as he explains his stand against the capital punishment as “(it) offers the tragic illusion that we can defend life by taking life.”

A nonprofit organization in Spokane, the Peace and Justice Action League, is currently working to end capital punishment in Washington. To get involved in this social justice issue, visit their website at www.pjals.org.

Wendy Stokes

Spokane