Imperfect Justice

Justice Sandra Day O’Connor’s doubts about the fairness of administering capital punishment in the U.S. (editorial, July 5) remind us all that the justice system is not perfect. If innocent people have been sentenced to death and subsequently exonerated and released after many years on death row, it is certainly likely that those who have been executed have included people innocent of the crime for which they went to their death.

This likelihood should give us pause, and we should support the growing movement in this country calling for a moratorium on executions. Following the lead of Illinois and other states, California could join the ranks of those who doubt and take action before any more innocent lives are claimed by an unfair system.

Lenore Navarro Dowling

Los Angeles