The Death Penalty Controversy HE WAS AT THE THRESHOLD OF THE EXECUTION CHAMBER in Huntsville, Texas, 18 minutes from death by lethal injection, when the Official news finally arrived that the needle would not be used. It won't be necessary that day. The rumors of a 30-day reprieve were true. Ricky McGinn, a 43-year-old mechanic convicted of raping and murdering his 12-year-old stepdaughter, will have the opportunity to prove his innocence through advanced DNA testing that was not available at the time of his conviction in 1994. The double cheeseburger, fries and Dr Pepper he ordered for dinner last Thursday night won't be his last meal after all. Another galvanizing moment in the long-running debate over capital punishment: Last week, Governor George W. Bush granted his first stay of execution after five years in office, not because of deep doubts about the guilt of McGinn; it was difficult to find anyone outside of McGinn's family willing to bet that he was truly innocent. The doubts that preoccupied Bush were those spreading across the country about the fairness of a system with life-and-death stakes. “These death penalty cases stir up emotions,” Bush told NEWSWEEK in an exclusive interview about the decision. Imagine the emotions that would have been stirred up if McGinn had been executed and then proven innocent after his death by DNA. So Bush figured, why take the gamble? "Whether McGinn was guilty or innocent, this case helped establish that all inmates eligible for DNA testing should take them," says Barry Scheck, a renowned DNA legal expert and co -author of “Actual Innocence”. "Even though Bush made a decent decision, the McGinn case illustrated why capital punishment in Texas is in the crosshairs this political season. For the star...... middle of paper..... . life without parole. The difference is in the initial costs of prosecution, which are at least four times higher than in cases where death is not sought. California spends an additional $90 million on its cases. capitals, beyond the normal costs of the system It's not a good deal for taxpayers. Whether you're for or against the death penalty, it's hard to argue that it doesn't need one. new look Since America's beginnings, when Benjamin Franklin helped develop the notion of degrees of culpability for murder, this country has been willing to reevaluate its assumptions about justice if we want to maintain the death penalty. , public opinion seems to say, let's make sure we do things right. DNA testing will help. The same will apply to other fines. But if, over time, we fail to do so, then we must ask ourselves whether it is worth doing so..