◆ SpookStack

COMMENT: Apparently, this is Brown's "humanitarian" approach to the problem. It is noted that on one occasion Governor Brown removed the '"'no- possibility-of-parole" stipulation from life-termer Jack D. Green's sentence as the first step towards granting him an eventual parole. Green had been convicted of killing a Los Angeles police lieutenant during the course of a theater robbery in 1932, and in 1934, his death sentence was commuted to life imprison- ment with the provision that there would never be any possibility of parole, In January, 1960, Brown announced the last-minute commutation of the death sentence of two-time killer James Merkouris provided there would never be any “possibility of parole." Merkouris was convicted several years ago of the brutal pistol- whipping and slaying of his former wife and her second husband. As the "Los Angeles Herald Express" pointed out, it appears that Brown has found a new way of combating capital punishment. First, he commutes the sentence of a particularly brutal killer while public sentiment is still strong by adding the proviso against parole. Then, when the sentiment dies down, he removes the proviso and makes it possible for the killer to be released to again "imperil the lives of innocent persons." STATEMENT: In conclusion, the articles points out that there is no doubt that the world trend is toward the abolition of the death penalty. The article notes that authoritative spokesmen for all religious faiths have gone on record against it, and sets forth several of these statements. COMMENT: Sons The statements by various religious groups coincide with data set forth in a publication entitled 'What Do The Churches Say On Capital Punishment’ which was prepared by the Connecticut Friends Committee on Social Order, West Hartford, Connecticut. The 3-3-60 issue of the "New York Times" and the 3-21-60 issue of Time Magazine" carried articles on capital punishment which reflected that there is world trend toward abolishing the death penalty. Since 1900, 26 countries have abolished capital punishment, 15 of these having taken this action since 1930. These countries are located in Europe, Central and Sout America, Australia, Asia and also Greenland and Iceland. This work trend, however, is not reflected in the United States where 41 states retain the death penalty and 9 have abolished it. Since 1900, only four states have abolished the death penalty--Minnesota, 1911; Alaska and Hawaii, 1957; and Delaware, 1958.