What a week: one commuted in Virginia but then other one hanged in Singapore

VIRGINIA Gov. Mark R. Warner (D) gets my vote for what he did this week: commute the death sentence for Robin M. Lovitt to life in prison without parole. See the story and editorial from the Washington Post.

At the same time, Singapore executed Van Nguyen today, an Australian Vietnamese, who was convicted for drug trafficking.

These two cases represent two main reasons for my objection of death penalty:

First, and the most important, it is almost impossible to be so sure that you can kill someone. If it's life in prison without parole, the penalty is tough enough as a deterrent for crimes while we always have time to see if we made a mistake to kill someone. Even this jury is so sure that he speaks out now still standing behind his original decision, it is unquestionable that Mr. Lovitt has been deprived his right to appeal when some destroyed the only evidence that can prove his innocence.

Second, the law does not make common sense. In the case of Mr. Nguyen, he was said to use the drug money to save his twin brother. May not be the best method, but some times it is the only option one has, especially if they're in the lowest level in society.