Death penalty reality check

Alex Kozinski, the controversial judge of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, recently gave an interview on the subject of ways and means of capital punishment, purportedly a professed supporter of it. He said the use of lethal injections was virtually barbaric, precipitating slow and often painful death.

He said he preferred either the guillotine or a firing squad. The interviewer then asked why. He said it was instantaneous and practically painless.

And he followed with this comment, "Also why shouldn't we visibly show the public the most effective method of ending one's life?"

Did this conservative judge suggest that we end capital punishment? Movies and television often film muted violence with its desensitized sights and sounds, basically immunizing its audiences, knowing it's only play acting, not the real thing.

Speaking of which, how about a reality check here?

James Cook

Schaumburg