Death Penalty Myth

I firmly believe convicted murderers deserve to be executed -- not 20 years after being sentenced -- maybe 20 weeks or so. But since California has not executed more than 11 such murderers since 1978 and has 640 on death row now, why play the charade that we still have capital punishment?

Your Jan. 17 editorial correctly points out that very similar murders with special circumstances receive different sentences. When O.J. Simpson was tried for double murder, the district attorney did not seek the death penalty. Jurors who agonize in such cases have been told lies that there really is such a thing as the death penalty when, in fact, fewer than 5% of those convicted of first-degree murder ever are or ever will be executed.

Sol Taylor

Sherman Oaks