January 27, 2006

StreetTalk by Carol Rosen

Do you believe there should be a maximum age limit for death row inmates? How does this relate to the Clarence Ray Allen situation?
(Asked at Longs Drugstore, Yerba Buena and San Felipe)

“Yes I do, for one thing we already have protection for juveniles. If they have served a certain length of time, I think they should just keep them in jail. Given the chance, I’d vote against the death penalty in general.”

Janice Riggs, 59
Evergreen
Retired


“I don’t believe in the death penalty!”

Dorene Vettel, 72
Evergreen
Retired teacher


“No I don’t. I don’t think there should be a death penalty at all. If the [convict] is that dangerous, he should spend the rest of his life in jail without parole. If we continue with the death penalty, then I don’t think there should be an age limit [for executions].”

Jim Dolen, 78
Evergreen
Retired


“There should be an age limit, but it depends on the crime. Maybe it should be older adults, such as convicts in their 80s because they are going to die anyway. But someone younger, like Scott Peterson, should be executed anyway.”

Shana Leal, 20
San Jose
Evergreen College student


“No, I don’t think there should be an age limit because I think they deserve the punishment given out by their peers. Just because they are older, doesn’t mean they didn’t commit the act or deserve their punishment.”

Anu Virmani, 35
Evergreen
Homemaker


“No, because when they committed their crimes, they weren’t that old. These prisoners are allowed to appeal and it drags out in court and because it takes so long to exhaust all the appeals doesn’t mean they should not receive the punishment they were given.”

Conrad Dost, 51
Evergreen
Unemployed engineer


“No, I think if they committed the crime, they should take their penalty no matter how old they are. Because he was on death row for 22 years and with all the appeals, it just ends up costing us [taxpayers] more. I believe in the death penalty.”

Carol Olivier, 73
Evergreen
Retired


“No, he was capable enough to know right from wrong when he committed the crime then he deserves the punishment the courts have decided.”

Bryon Jacobson, 54
Evergreen
Realtor


“No, obviously he committed a grievous offense. I don’t think someone’s age should mitigate the crime he or she committed. “

Joyce Northey, 62
Evergreen
Media assistant at Chayboya Middle School


“I don’t believe in the death penalty. I believe people have the ability to change. I’m not the same person I was five years ago, and I won’t be the same person five years from now.”

Paul Ritchie, 18
Evergreen
Evergreen Valley High School senior