Statement from Krisanne Vaillancourt Murphy following President Trump’s Comments regarding Death Penalty in Washington, DC

Washington, DC is a major metropolitan area. Like any city in this country, it has challenges with crime and violence that should not be ignored. But to suggest that the response to homicide in the District of Columbia should be capital punishment is at best a terribly misguided approach. Perpetuating more violence in response to harm does not promise safety or an effective solution to crime.

Capital punishment defiles the sacred dignity of life and deserves no place in our nation’s capital, our country, or any society. Simply put, the death penalty is a failed system beyond repair. Instead of providing real opportunities for healing and closure, capital punishment systematically perpetuates a cycle of violence.

Practically speaking, capital punishment is more expensive than other prison sentences and it is often applied arbitrarily. For every eight people executed in the United States, one person has been exonerated. Additionally, the death penalty is not an effective deterrent to crime. Research has consistently demonstrated that murder rates are lower in states that do not have the death penalty.

The people of Washington, DC deserve real safety, true accountability, and approaches to crime and violence that are rooted in the preservation of life.