That’s what capital punishment really means. “Those that ain’t got the capital gets the punishment,” is the old saying. Once again, we see the inherent truths that lie in the proverbs of the poor. That old saying echoed when it was announced that the district attorney of Delaware County, Patrick Meehan, would not seek the death penalty in the case of John E. du Pont, the wealthy corporate heir charged with the shooting death of Olympic champion David Schultz. The Delaware County DA’s office said no aggravated circumstances justifying the death sentence existed.
Could it be that du Pont’s personal wealth, estimated at over 400 million was a factor? In one fell swoop, the state ensured that while millionaires may be murderers, they are not eligible for that preserve of the poor, America’s death row. As the case of O. J. Simpson showed us, the state is very selective in who it chooses to include in its macabre club of death. O. J., a bona fide celebrity, corporate pitchman, sports legend and millionaire, was deemed, even though a suspect in a double murder, not fit for a death sentence.
So, whether or not one is of the opinion that Mr. Simpson was either innocent or guilty, the point remains that before the trial actually began, the DA of Los Angeles decided no death penalty for O. J. Millionaires need not apply; as it was for Mr. Simpson, so it was for Mr. du Pont. Simpson’s wealth, compared to du Pont’s, makes him look like a pauper. As for du Pont, consider, if you will, the incredible spectacle of the DA, with all the identical facts, announcing he or she would not be seeking the death penalty if du Pont was the victim. I’m sure we can all agree that would be impossible.
Any poor man who slays a wealthy man will have the weight of the system fall on him like a ton of bricks. For a wealthy man, however, who finds himself charged with killing a poor man, the system becomes user friendly. Why should this be so? It’s because the system serves the interest of the wealthy. It is their system. In essence, when a poor person comes before the court, he or she faces two things, the offense and being poor. I am not suggesting that Mr. du Pont, or anyone else for that matter, should be sentenced to death. I am just noting how and why the death sentence is reserved for some and off limits to others.The death sentence remains a prerogative of the poor. From death row, this is Mumia Abu Jamal.
These commentaries are recorded by Noelle Hanrahan of Prison Radio.
