Note: I hate all 527 ads because the other candidate doesn't have to defend them.This "Truth Test" looks at a 30-second attack ad against Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill Ritter. The commercial is paid for by the Trailhead Group. The group is a so-called "527," named after the part of the U.S. tax code which makes it exempt from certain Colorado campaign finance laws, such as limits on the amount it can raise and spend. Major contributors have included prominent Republicans in Colorado like former U.S. Senate candidate Pete Coors and former gubernatorial candidate Bruce Benson.
Quote: "And Ritter avoided enforcing the death penalty for capital crimes."
Truth: This is false.
It is not up to the District Attorney's office to enforce the death penalty. In Colorado, that's now the decision of juries, and during Ritter's tenure, state law assigned that decision to both juries and three-judge panels.
Ritter's office pursued the death penalty in seven separate murder cases during his time in office. (Source: Ritter Campaign Statement, 9/1/06--Jon Morris-1995, Jacques Richardson-1997, Nathan Thill-1997, Omar Ramirez-1998, Cong Van Phan-1999, Donta Paige-1999, Abe Habos-1999) On none of those occasions was his office successful in getting that sentence, but in each case, the defendant was found guilty and was given a life in prison sentence.
More at: http://www.9news.com/acm_news.aspx?OSGNAME=KUSA&IKOBJECTID=6b42d11b-0abe-421a-01c0-3cd78d16067e&TEMPLATEID=0c76dce6-ac1f-02d8-0047-c589c01ca7bf
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