George Sitts was put to death by this state in 1947, a punishment meted out for Sitts' role in killing two law enforcement officers during a late-night chase.
It took 60 years and numerous turns of events before South Dakota followed through on another death sentence. Elijah Page was killed by lethal injection on July 11 of this year, put to death for his torturous killing of a man near Spearfish.
This week, New Jersey became the first state in more than 40 years to reject capital punishment. The measure was signed into law by the state's Assembly and Senate and replaces the death sentence with life in prison without parole. News conferences showed Gov. Jon Corzine signing the measure, surrounded by smiling, laughing faces.
We wonder what this means for the rest of the country and assume it will kick off a storm of anti-death penalty rhetoric and, possibly, discussions among state legislatures.
In South Dakota, many people came out against the death penalty when Page was executed in July. For the record, Gov. Mike Rounds has long stated that he believes the death penalty is the correct punishment in many situations, and especially that of Page.
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Despite the protests and concerns about the possibility of making mistakes in applying it, only a few states do not have the death penalty. And although we have long been supporters, we lend our support cautiously. Again, the only case since 1947 that the state actually followed through with was that of Page, who admitted to the grisly, ghastly murder of Chester Poage in a secluded Black Hills canyon.
Perhaps without such obvious evidence, we, too, would be hesitant.
We also feel that simply having the death penalty as an option can be a deterrent to murder. The Associated Press last summer reported that academic studies show that between three and 18 lives can be saved by the execution of each convicted murderer. Another study by the University of Colorado at Denver also supports claims that the death penalty is a deterrent.
Of course, it's likely other studies can be found that show the death penalty does no such thing.
But it was difficult to not agree with the death penalty in South Dakota's most recent case; even Page wanted to be put to death.
We hope lawmakers, whether those currently in office or ones in the future, will not rush with kneejerk reactions to other states' decisions to repeal the death penalty.
