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Ben, were you ever a reporter in Arkansas? I had a news conference about 20 years ago, announcing the charges filed against a man who had killed his wife and mother. I stated the charge was "capital murder," because he'd caused the death of two people in the same episode, and the possible penalty. I promise you, what follows is almost verbatim to what I was asked.
Reporter: You've charged him with capital murder?
Me: Yes.
Reporter: Would you say the death penalty was the most serious penalty the law provides?
Me: (after looking at him for a second, waiting for a smile) (getting none) (looking at other reporters who couldn't keep a straight face like I had to) "I would say so, yes."
I feared the newsbite in the paper the next week: "Dep. Pros. says death penalty is the most serious provided by law." Fortunately, someone (probably NOT the reporter) figured out how dumb that question was.
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AVOR
A Voice Of Reason, not necessarily the ONLY one.
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