Texas Judge Questions Legality of Life Without Parole

Life without parole amounts to the same thing as the death penalty, except it comes without some basic legal protections awarded defendants who face capital punishment, says Texas Judge Larry Meyers. The longest-serving member of the state’s highest criminal court, and its only Democrat, Meyers says he has grown uncomfortable with life without parole, and feels it may be harsher than execution. “I’m not saying the death penalty is unconstitutional,” Meyers said. “I think right now it’s about as fair as it could be. But there are two variations of the death penalty; one is just longer than the other. People are getting a (life without parole) death sentence without the same safeguards and procedures that you get when there is a death sentence.” Meyers’ Republican opponent in the November election, 22-year state District Judge Mary Lou Keel of Houston, said, “Policy issues like this are best left to the legislature. Doesn’t he have enough work to do as a judge?” In Texas, 782 inmates are serving life without parole for capital murder as of July 2016.