The Wyoming Campaign to End the Death Penalty has been working with community leaders and statewide organizations over the last several months to end a racist and error-prone from of punishment.
Today, we hear from Kylie Taylor, member of Conservatives Concerned About the Death Penalty, and why they joined this campaign and support our mission to repeal the death penalty in Wyoming.
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Why do you support a death penalty repeal?
I am against the death penalty because it goes against my conservative principles of valuing life across the board, small government, and fiscal responsibility. I am also against the death penalty because of the lack of a deterrent effect, the arbitrariness and bias in the system, and the risk of executing an innocent person.
How long have you been a death penalty repeal advocate?
I have been the Wyoming State Coordinator for Conservatives Concerned About the Death Penalty since August 2019.
What would you tell someone who is on the fence about supporting a repeal?
Depending on what they are on the fence about, I would suggest they look into research done by the Death Penalty Information Center (DPIC). DPIC is an unbiased national non-profit that serves the media and the public with analysis and information on issues concerning capital punishment.
But if they are a conservative Republican like myself, I would challenge them to take a look at their principles and values and ask themselves how the death penalty is supporting those. As conservative Republicans, we believe in small government, valuing life, and fiscal responsibility, and the death penalty does none of those things.
What toll, do you think, the death penalty has on communities?
The death penalty costs taxpayers millions of dollars and takes away resources that actually keep communities safer. By repealing the death penalty we can use that money towards programs that stop crime before it occurs and provide healing resources to victims' family members.
What would you say to someone who thinks the death penalty delivers justice?
I would say that life in prison without the possibility of parole also delivers justice without the high cost, risk of executing an innocent person, and arbitrariness.