Death Row Exonerated Seek End to Death Penalty in US

November 19, 2011

A new Gallup Poll shows that support for the death penalty in the United States remains high, but down to 61 percent from 80 percent in 1994. Part of the reason is the possibility of innocent inmates being put to death and the release of others after new evidence cleared them. Several men saved from execution are now telling their stories to the public

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Ron Keine was convicted of murder in the southwestern state of New Mexico and was just days away from his scheduled execution when the man who had really committed the crime confessed to a preacher.

"Of course, the preacher said, 'I cannot absolve you, you have to go and do the right thing.' And the guy said, 'Yeah, I know.' At that time I was nine days from execution," recalled Keine.

After the truth came out, Keine gained his freedom and joined the effort to abolish capital punishment.

New Mexico has now abolished the death penalty. But Keine says most of the men he met on death row should remain in prison.

"These people are dangerous killers and they should not be out on the streets," Keine explained. "I don't want those guys out, but I do not believe in killing anybody. I believe they should be put in prison for the rest of their lives without any chance of parole."

Studies show one out of every eight condemned inmates could be innocent. And lawyers representing death penalty convicts often uncover evidence of prosecution abuses in the original trial.