Former Secretary of Labor; Democratic Challenger MA Governor
Increase penalties for felon handgun possession
Instead of making it easier for convicted criminals to carry weapons, we must make it as difficult as possible. Federal law has a Felon-in-Possession law which makes it a crime for a felon to have something as simple?or as dangerous?as a bullet in their
pocket. I want to take that a step further in Massachusetts and say that if you are a convicted violent felon and if we find you with a gun, you will go to jail for at least five years?no questions asked, no excuses acceptable, no loopholes allowed.
I am against the death penalty. I do not believe a decent society should condemn people to death. There is no persuasive evidence that the death penalty deters crime.
Moreover, we run too great a risk under our criminal justice system that innocent people will be subject to the death penalty; recent revelations based upon DNA evidence show how tragically common this has been.
Source: Campaign web site RobertReich.org, “Issues”
, May 2, 2002
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