Pointless, really?
Allen was serving his life term at Folsom State Prison 25 years ago when he gave a newly paroled convict a hit list of seven witnesses who helped put him behind bars. He wanted the seven killed so they could not testify during his appeals. (Apparently, three of the murders were carried out). He was executed after the US Supreme Court rejected a last-minute appeal he was too old and too sick to be put to death without it constituting cruel and unusual punishment.
While no doubt a very unpleasant and brutal character, who is no great loss to humanity, it all seems rather pointless to me to carry out his death sentence so late in life.
The other thing I find “cruel and unusual” in itself is the length of time the US often holds prisoners on death row. Allen had been there 23 years. Having a sentence of death hanging over you for all those years must be punishment in itself. I can’t see why all the wheels of the justice system should take so long. I would have thought if you’re going to execute people for their crimes, once convicted, the thing to do is work through the appeals and other legal processes within a reasonable time and carry out the sentence as soon as possible.
