Yesterday, the Daily Caller published an article in which I reported on the highly publicized launch of the Georgia Conservatives Concerned about the Death Penalty (GA CCATDP). The press event spurred a steady stream of media and interest from the public and for good reason. The GA CCATDP supporters are notable members of the conservative community.
I wrote,
The Georgia Conservatives Concerned about the Death Penalty group launched at a press conference held at the State Capitol, and it was attended by a host of notable Georgia leaders, including a conservative state representative, a former Republican Party official, a free market think tank leader, and activists from across the state.
Each speaker shared a message of liberty and conservatism and described how the Georgia death penalty violates many principles that they hold close to their heart.
State Representative Brett Harrell questioned the death penalty’s efficiency. Former 5th Congressional District GOP Chairman, David Burge, discussed the cumbersome and costly processes inherent in the capital punishment process. Jennifer Maffessanti, Chairwoman of the Atlanta Chapter of the America’s Future Foundation, explained the real risk of executing an innocent person. Austin Paul, past Chairman of the Mercer University College Republicans, highlighted the death penalty’s failure to protect society. Pro-life advocate, Charles Jones, discussed how he changed his mind on capital punishment after learning about a man on death row who eventually became a Christian, and Foundation for Economic Education COO, Richard Lorenc, questioned whether the state is competent enough to be trusted with the power to execute its citizens.
The press event was timely, given that Georgia appears to be at a crossroad regarding the death penalty:
This press conference occurred at an appropriate time when Georgia seems to be at a crossroad. The Peach State led the nation in executions last year, but many of these death sentences were a result of convictions from the 1980s and 1990s. Yet, nobody has been sentenced to die in Georgia in nearly 3 years. Because of this, it seems that the Georgia death penalty is slowly withering away, but supporters of the Georgia Conservatives Concerned about the Death Penalty hope to hasten capital punishment’s demise.