Was executed Barton guilty beyond any reasonable doubt?

The question is not whether he was innocent. Rather, was he guilty beyond any reasonable doubt? I say no.

With his last statement, Barton again declared his innocence as he always had. He had never confessed, always maintained his innocence and it took 5 trials to get a conviction.

This was the only evidence against him:
1. A blood stain on his clothing. A witnesses testified this happened when he lifted a grandchild off the victim, which the grandchild confirmed. The "blood spatter" claim was later discounted by experts - only leaving a

2. A jailhouse snitch - who so much committed perjury in exchange for a deal that a mistrial was called. However, this same jailhouse snitch who committed perjury was used in the subsequent (5th) trial in which he was convicted.

Put simply, he was executed upon the sole testimony of a jailhouse snitch who knowingly committed perjury against Barton in exchange for a deal with the prosecution.

There was no other evidence. The prosecution team was found to have witheld evidence and it was learned had previously sent 4 innocent men to prison for a total of 60 years. Other judges had found the prosecution team had knowingly presented false testimony and withheld evidence in other cases.

At least 3 of the jurors who convicted him said they would not have done so if they had heard the new evidence, heard of the flaws in the "blood splatter" theory or had known the jailhouse snitch previously had been caught lying in a previous trial.

The US Supreme Court ruled that any new expert evidence and prosecution misconduct and his guilt or innocence is all irrelevant because that all should have been taken care of in the trial, for which being innocent, having an incompetent attorney and corrupt prosecutors are all irrelevant.

It is significant and deeply troubling that the SCOTUS ruled innocence or guilt is irrelevant in a death penalty case and only trial procedure matters, with prosecution misconduct and lawyer incompetence all are irrelevant. Life and guilt is irrelevant to the SCOTUS. Only legal proceduralism matters, with the actual accused irrelevant to anything. It is only about lawyers and judges to the SCOTUS, not the accused.

Barton's last words were that he was innocent and they were executing an innocent man. If the sole testimony of a person in prison in exchange for a deal can get anyone executed, then anyone can be convicted of anything any police department or DA wants to convict - guilt irrelevant to anything. Most people in prison will say anything in exchange for getting out earlier.

Walter Barton Was Executed — 6 Facts You Should Know About His Case

Whether he's guilty or not, the state should not be in the business of executing its citizens. There have been countless numbers of cases where someone was exonerated after execution by new evidence or technology, but that's a bell that can never be un-rung. From the financial aspect, it's not significantly cheaper than keeping someone in life imprisonment. I deeply believe that some people are evil and deserve to die, but that's my opinion as an individual and the state should not have that power and it should be above emotion and vengeance.

RabidAlpaca said:

Whether he's guilty or not, the state should not be in the business of executing its citizens.

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Over ten thousand people are executed in the US every year. I fail to see how we would benefit from stopping the small handful that are explicitly state sanctioned.

The judicial branch of government is at least as corrupt as the other two branches.

Walter Barton's case is a perfect example of that. I am familiar with another case equally egregious. There is no rule of law in this country.

This is the kind of thing Trumpists who pretend to make a big fuss about a sophisticated defendant with connections who plead guilty (Flynn) would care about IF they meant even 1/100th of the thing they said about wanting justice.

An innocent guy executed? They don't care. And if any stop by to say they do it will only because of this comment. We know they've posted countless posts and threads about the supposed injustice being done to Flynn. They'd have made even more noise about wrongful convictions and wrongful executions if they actually cared about justice.

This kind of thing doesn't get enough attention. Bringing it up is too often mistaken for being "soft on crime" or some such nonsense.

Thoreau72 said:

The judicial branch of government is at least as corrupt as the other two branches.

Walter Barton's case is a perfect example of that. I am familiar with another case equally egregious. There is no rule of law in this country.

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There never has been.

One reason that I'm an advocate of life in solitary confinement instead of the death penalty.

Dayton3 said:

One reason that I'm an advocate of life in solitary confinement instead of the death penalty.

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Solitary is torture, one of the worse forms of it too. If you doubt that, empty a walk in closet and see how long you can stand to stay in it.

joko104 said:

Solitary is torture, one of the worse forms of it too. If you doubt that, empty a walk in closet and see how long you can stand to stay in it.

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Agree to disagree. People are held in solitary routinely in the U.S. and the courts allow it. And unlike the death penalty you can let them go and compensate them if they turn out to be not guilty.

Dayton3 said:

One reason that I'm an advocate of life in solitary confinement instead of the death penalty.

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They shoot horses, don't they?

I would rather be executed than spend life in prison.

Dayton3 said:

Agree to disagree. People are held in solitary routinely in the U.S. and the courts allow it. And unlike the death penalty you can let them go and compensate them if they turn out to be not guilty.

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It's routine and courts allow it, therefore it's not torture? That's a pretty obvious non-sequitur. Just search "solitary confinement" on YouTube and watch a couple of documentaries. Solitary for more than a few days at a time should be deemed "cruel and unusual punishment" and done away with entirely.

Thoreau72 said:

They shoot horses, don't they?

I would rather be executed than spend life in prison.

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Convicted criminals are not asked what their preferred punishment is. Shouldn't even be an issue.

Dayton3 said:

Convicted criminals are not asked what their preferred punishment is. Shouldn't even be an issue.

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You offered your opinion and I offered mine.

joko104 said:

Solitary is torture, one of the worse forms of it too. If you doubt that, empty a walk in closet and see how long you can stand to stay in it.

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A closet or a 6x8 jail cell, not much diff.

Moonglow said:

A closet or a 6x8 jail cell, not much diff.

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In regards to lifetime solitary confinement cells I was thinking more along the lines of 8 feet by about 17 feet with an automatic shower in the far end (every other day for 10 minutes at 85 degrees water temperature) and a small outside window in the ceiling.