Death penalty should not be partisan issue

Efforts to repeal the death penalty in Missouri have gained momentum, and college conservatives are speaking out on the issue. Daniel Blassi, president of Students for Life at Southeast Missouri State University is among those lending a voice to the issue.

Whereas there was a time when the death-penalty debate was divided down partisan lines -- with Republicans for and Democrats against -- it appears this line is becoming blurred. Blassi is Exhibit A; he recently joined Missouri Conservatives Concerned About the Death Penalty and believes his anti-death-penalty position is in accordance with his pro-life principles.

Cape Girardeau Republican Rep. Kathy Swan takes the same position and has co-sponsored a House bill to repeal the death penalty, similar to Missouri Senate Bill 816, which the Missouri Conservatives group supports.

Beyond the sanctity of life in general, as some would term it, a major concern about the death penalty is the possibility of human error. "We may aim to execute only the guilty, but in practice, the death penalty puts too many innocent lives at risk," Blassi recently told the Southeast Missourian.

Another concern is the cost of the death penalty to taxpayers, as one legal case costs $100,000 more than defending one case for life in prison, according to Missouri Conservatives.

Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Chris Limbaugh, however, takes the opposite position. He supports the death penalty and cites examples that prove it is a deterrent to crime.

Perhaps people have been personally affected by the death penalty, or perhaps they have been influenced by the media, with Netflix's "Making a Murderer" garnering attention, for example. Whatever the reason and no matter the position, this issue has clearly become more mainstream, less partisan -- as it should be. Something this important should not be based on politics. It demands an open-minded approach and an honest evaluation. We are keeping our eyes open, and it will be interesting to see how this unfolds in our state and in the nation this year.