Feature Article of Saturday, 19 November 2016Columnist: Okoampa-Ahoofe, KwameThe death penalty is not a creative response to murderFile photo. Americans have a saying that runs as follows: “Be careful what you wish for; or you shall get it.”Nana Obiri-Boahen’s angry call on President John Dramani Mahama to expedite the implementation of the death penalty is scandalously simplistic and grossly misplaced. For a trained lawyer, Mr. Obiri-Boahen’s reaction to the alleged jailbreak attempt by Mr. Johnson Kombian, the notorious criminal convict, leaves much to be desired (See “President Should Implement Death Penalty – Obiri-Boahen” 3News.com / Ghanaweb.com 11/10/16). I am, however, very familiar with the name of Mr. Kombian. For instance, African-American and Hispanic or Latino criminal suspects convicted of murder are several times more likely to be meted the death penalty than suspects officially classified as “Ethnic Whites” or European-Americans.

Source: GhanaWeb November 19, 2016 04:59 UTC