Article Rebuttal

In relation to the work to be performed, titled Rebuttal Article, I’ll be talking about the article of Mrs. Evelyn Roman Michelle Montalvo, Coordinator of the Committee against the death penalty and institutional violence Amnesty International Section of Puerto Rico.

In her paper entitled The Jury Number 10 published in the newspaper ‘‘El Nuevo Dia’’ 5, April 5, 2013, Mrs. Roman describes the deliberative process during the death penalty trial against Mr. Alexis Candelario Santana, accused of being one of the participants on the so called ‘‘Slaughter of the Tombola’’, where nine people died and a lot were injured on October 17, 2009. Mr. Candelario had a hefty criminal record, including being the confessed murderer of seven people in 2001.

In the article, Mrs. Roman expresses her opinion on how this juror number ten returned her faith in her country, as Puerto Rico and we are indebted to her, since she was the only one who objected sentence the defendant to death, which is allowed in a federal trial.

Also, this jury was intent a victim of manipulation and pressure from the other eleven jurors, who agreed with him to death. It tells how this woman stood firm in her principles and how she valued the life of the accused, and to the writer is almost a hero. Note that in the U.S. 38 of the 50 states retain the death penalty in its constitution.

In my opinion, the death penalty should be applied in each case taking their just perspective. Mrs. Roman offers no evidence, or data, or statistics that indicate that the sentence to a person to life imprisonment instead of the death penalty is more likely to society or that there is any chance of rehabilitation.

The judicial system in Puerto Rico, unfortunately, does not enjoy the confidence of the people, and this is within reason. In the specific case of Alexis Candelario, by confessing to be the killer of seven people was sentenced to seven years in prison, this follows