LETTER: Nevada doesn’t really have the death penalty

I don’t get it. In the May 7 Review Journal, an article states that the state prison director wants more time to plan Zane Floyd’s injection in regard to Floyd’s death penalty conviction. Floyd has been on death row since 1999. How much more time could you possibly need?

In an unrelated death row article in the same edition, there is an article on a convicted murderer dying while on death row. And not executed. It appears natural causes. That murderer had been on death row since 1985.

My confusion, I guess, is what is the need for a death penalty? No one is put to death in a timely manner after being convicted and sentenced to death anyway. And does anyone ever look at the increased expenses of keeping someone on death row as opposed to just putting him in the general population? The added costs are considerably higher. Our tax dollars at work.

If we’re not going to actually execute a convicted criminal, then get rid of the death penalty. We can save some money. If we’re going to keep it, put it to use and execute these convicted criminals who aren’t fit to be around decent people. And do it in a timely manner — not years, for certain.