Killarney, it doesn't matter if China says that or not. Of course China is guilty of some of the most disgusting human rights violations spanning from repression of speech and religion to harvesting the organs of men convicted in closed door, one-day trials. If it's the fact that China said it that's bothering you, then I'm sure that the UN, Europe, and most modern countries in this world saying it might be different.
Anyway, this is a quote from the NY Times:
"With the palm of his hand, Michael S. Race pushed open the door of the Brooklyn courthouse, and there, standing under a spring sun and drawing their first breaths of freedom in 14 years, were Anthony Faison and Charles Shepherd: innocent men, home from serving time for someone else's murder. Mr. Race smiled."
Mr. Race was a detective who sent many men to prison without "following the procedures". Now he's started thinking about some of his actions, and I believe he alone has freed 5 men he helped put away. He is just one detective, in one city, in one state. If you'd like to read the rest of the article, then here's the story online:
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/06/10/nyregion/10COP.html
And then there was the story of the incompetent lab director from, I think, Missouri (I could be wrong on this one). Her injustices were revealed this year and spanned over a decade. Prosecutors and the police force knew what was happening but refused to do anything because "she got results". If someone has the name of the lab director please tell me, because I can't remember it for the life of me. I believe the lab director was a black woman. And then who could forget the prosecutors that decide to repress facts and so the jury doesn't make a proper decision. The case of intelligence based sentencing comes to mind where jurors found out that they were uninformed that a man they were sentencing was mentally retarded.
I'm not telling anyone what decision to make on such an issue, because it's not black and white. However, the facts show innocent men are convicted. I refuse to support the death penalty if it means one innocent man will die - I couldn't live with myself if I did. The weirdest thing is that I was pro-death penalty just a few months ago. Now I'm off for a run. Have a great day guys.