Opinions about the Death Penalty

[Modbert]

I am against the death penalty in any and all cases. Too many innocent people have been put to death, and are still on death row. It's just not possible to be 100% sure in all cases. Secondly, I don't think any government can or should have the authority to kill anyone. Third, it's more expensive to kill them. I know this is because of the appeal process and it being so long, but the shorter you make that process the more chance there is that an innocent person is going to die and that's simply unacceptable in my opinion. I think the only solution is to do away with it completely.

Except if the states were allowed to pass their own set of laws, you should have no problem with it then. Unless you are against your philosophy of states rights.

 

[California Girl]

I wouldn't meet him.

I'd want to personally put the needle in his veins and plunge.

I just realized I'd have to meet to in order to inject him. Dammit.

Don't they do it from a separate room in many states now?

 

[B L Zeebub]

I would prefer life in solitary confinement. Death is a mercy they do not deserve...

Solitary Confinement? So they can have free food, free clothing, and free shelter with my tax dollars? Fuck that.

Prisoners (especially ones on Death Row) have it better than those out on the streets including children.

is that not to protect the guards, remember these inmates have very little to lose, you cant top them twice.

 

[Article 15]

I wouldn't meet him.

I'd want to personally put the needle in his veins and plunge.

I just realized I'd have to meet to in order to inject him. Dammit.

Don't they do it from a separate room in many states now?

Beats me. I always imagined some pale, gaunt man with empy blue eyes in a lab coat flicking the syringe then sticking the guy.

 

[Modbert]

Beats me. I always imagined some pale, gaunt man with empy blue eyes in a lab coat flicking the syringe then sticking the guy.

They have machines now where you can do it from other rooms. However, since the machines have been faulty at times, some states still do it manually.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

I am against the death penalty in any and all cases. Too many innocent people have been put to death, and are still on death row. It's just not possible to be 100% sure in all cases. Secondly, I don't think any government can or should have the authority to kill anyone. Third, it's more expensive to kill them. I know this is because of the appeal process and it being so long, but the shorter you make that process the more chance there is that an innocent person is going to die and that's simply unacceptable in my opinion. I think the only solution is to do away with it completely.

Except if the states were allowed to pass their own set of laws, you should have no problem with it then. Unless you are against your philosophy of states rights.

One can oppose something while realizing that others have the right to make their own decision for themselves. I'm not advocating that the federal government go in and force the states to get rid of the death penalty, I'm simply saying why I personally oppose it and don't think it should be used.

 

[PeterS]

Suppose you had a teen-aged child you loved very much and one day, she wanted to borrow your car. She was driving to the mall, stopped at a light and suddenly a man smashed the drivers side window, put a gun in her face and ordered her out. He was screaming at her, and grabbing her around the throat. She tried to open the door and couldn't. He shot her in the face.

Later, when you looked at her to identify her, you couldn't tell it was her because half her face was shot off.

They found the killer. The jury recommended the death sentence, and the state condemned him to die from a lethal injection.

Six years passed and he finally ran out of appeals. You had six years to live with what he had done.

He had two days to live and asked to see you.

My first question is: What would you say to him?

My second question is: In this case, do you agree or disagree with the death penalty and why?

My third question is: Are you opposed to the death penalty under any circumstances?

I would prefer life in solitary confinement. Death is a mercy they do not deserve...

The DP is about justice, not revenge.

You don't think life in solitary would be just? Death is too easy and something the actions of a murderer do not deserve. Isn't getting what you deserve what justice is all about?

 

[hjmick]

I would prefer life in solitary confinement. Death is a mercy they do not deserve...

The DP is about justice, not revenge.

You don't think life in solitary would be just? Death is too easy and something the actions of a murderer do not deserve. Isn't getting what you deserve what justice is all about?

And sometimes death is justice served. Some of these assholes just need to be put down, plain and simple. Look, I won't pretend that a I think the death penalty is all about justice. I don't believe that. I think a good portion of it is about vengeance. I'm okay with that. Especially where children are concerned. If something such as the scenario described in the OP were to happen to any of my daughters, I would happily do the deed myself. Would it bring my daughter back? No. But I would feel better knowing that the dirtbag who did it was dead.

As I stated previously, it's a punishment that is on the books. Use it. Don't like it, take it off, makes no difference to me.

 

[Toronado3800]

I am mildly in favor of the death penalty for murder cases and the like. Thanks to the before mentioned lengthy appeals process anyone on death row, or facing life in prison has a fair chance to reverse any error made thus I believe (perhaps slightly ideally) beyond a reasonable doubt folks on death row are guilty.

If someone killed a cashier robbing a 7-11, killed their cheating wife, or in the case provided obviously that person believes in killing so let the punishment suit the crime.

If someone helped plan a terrorist attack which killed 2,000 ppl or helped run a death camp obviously they believed in killing so same punishment for them.

Extending this thought I also believe anyone who attempted to illegally kill another should be eligible for the death penalty. Incompetence or dumb luck does not make the crime any less heinous.

(I believe reform in the appeals process is a different conversation worthy of its own post so I'm ignoring the whole unjust jury and faulty 6 appeals cases and all for the purposes of this discussion)

 

[B L Zeebub]

An OJ moment, do you trust your legal system to levy this sanction.

 

[B L Zeebub]

I would prefer life in solitary confinement. Death is a mercy they do not deserve...

The DP is about justice, not revenge.

You don't think life in solitary would be just? Death is too easy and something the actions of a murderer do not deserve. Isn't getting what you deserve what justice is all about?

A number of our most notorious killers serving life, have petitioned the courts to allow them to kill themselves. I wonder why

 

[Toronado3800]

I will respond to the "Do I trust the legal system" question in my own new posting.

 

[California Girl]

I would prefer life in solitary confinement. Death is a mercy they do not deserve...

The DP is about justice, not revenge.

You don't think life in solitary would be just? Death is too easy and something the actions of a murderer do not deserve. Isn't getting what you deserve what justice is all about?

It is not about 'easy' or what the murderer deserves. That is revenge. I look on it the same way I would putting an animal to sleep, except I would cry about putting an animal to sleep.

You're talking with passion, whereas I am talking dispassionately about it. I support the DP, I just think it is a punishment, not revenge. There is no need to lower society to the level of the murder by celebrating the DP, nor would I wish to see the person suffer prior to sentence being carried out. That doesn't mean I think we should give them luxuries or make life comfortable for them, just not deliberately inflict pain or suffering. Because we, as a society, are supposed to be better than that.

 

[California Girl]

I just realized I'd have to meet to in order to inject him. Dammit.

Don't they do it from a separate room in many states now?

Beats me. I always imagined some pale, gaunt man with empy blue eyes in a lab coat flicking the syringe then sticking the guy.

Nope, that's not how it's done. The delivery is more complex but it is just flicking a switch, and - depending on the state - not even in the same room.

 

[JD_2B]

Dunno how anyone can consider themself to be "Pro Life" but still support the death penalty..

That's because you're 15 and life is black and white. When you grow up, you will discover the gray areas.

I am personally pro life. But, because I am a believer in individual freedom, I don't believe that I have the right to dictate someone else's choice.

The DP is nothing like abortion. Abortion is killing an innocent child. The DP is the ultimate punishment for the ultimate crime. Not hard to understand.

Wow this thread went to three pages overnight!

Are you aware that one out of every FIVE people on death row are found to be innocent of the charges??

Even if DNA can prove them to be innocent later, and they appeal based on this- their appeals have been denied to allow the state to give them a DNA test, based on the state not having that test when they were convicted.

Plus- when anyone advocates for killing ANYONE else.. the person doing the killing is no longer innocent. They are a killer.

 

[JD_2B]

I would prefer life in solitary confinement. Death is a mercy they do not deserve...

Solitary Confinement? So they can have free food, free clothing, and free shelter with my tax dollars? Fuck that.

Prisoners (especially ones on Death Row) have it better than those out on the streets including children.

Not sure how much you know about how many added tax dollars go into death penalty sentences- but it is most certainly not saving any of us any money over life in prison. The appeals process is extensive and EXPENSIVE. Far more expensive than someone who would sit in jail and rot for the rest of their life.

And maybe you have some experiences in a local jail, or know people who have gone to minimum security prisons, but people who murder, the ones who get death row, are not sent to those kinds of jails. They are sent to maximum security places, wherin fires, rioting, bone breaking beatings, rape, and murder are commonplace.

 

[California Girl]

Dunno how anyone can consider themself to be "Pro Life" but still support the death penalty..

That's because you're 15 and life is black and white. When you grow up, you will discover the gray areas.

I am personally pro life. But, because I am a believer in individual freedom, I don't believe that I have the right to dictate someone else's choice.

The DP is nothing like abortion. Abortion is killing an innocent child. The DP is the ultimate punishment for the ultimate crime. Not hard to understand.

Wow this thread went to three pages overnight!

I don't care.

Are you aware that one out of every FIVE people on death row are found to be innocent of the charges??

Yes, I am.

Even if DNA can prove them to be innocent later, and they appeal based on this- their appeals have been denied to allow the state to give them a DNA test, based on the state not having that test when they were convicted.

So what?

Plus- when anyone advocates for killing ANYONE else.. the person doing the killing is no longer innocent. They are a killer.

So what? You are welcome to hold whatever opinion you feel appropriate. As am I.

 

[Contumacious]

My third question is: Are you opposed to the death penalty under any circumstances?

I believe that I have a right to life and to defend the same using deadly force if necessary.

But I object to having the government execute anyone. Firstly, there is the fundamental problem of the possibility of error, or even outright framing of the accused. Libertarians, by their very nature, do not trust the government to make decisions (including life-and-death decisions) competently or for the best motives.

.

 

[jillian]

Dunno how anyone can consider themself to be "Pro Life" but still support the death penalty..

Dunno how anyone can consider themself to be "Pro-Choice" but be against the Death Penalty and Still Support Abortion.

you really think that's comparable to the people who scream that two cells should be protected but a living human being can be killed by the state?

pffffft.

that said, there are times when the death penalty might be appropriate. This is my primary objection to it:

A century of study has shown that eyewitness identifications are often unreliable. Simple factors at the crime scene and improper police lineups can lead to misidentifications and wrongful convictions. Over 175 people have exonerated by DNA testing after being misidentified before their conviction. Learn how witnesses get it wrong and what the Innocence Project is doing about it.

The Innocence Project - Home

 

[DiamondDave]

It figures we suddenly try and interject the old abortion/death penalty arguments.... let's just say there is a difference between killing an innocent and helpless life and executing a maniacal murderer

Hell... I say EXPAND the death penalty to not just include murderers, but also child molesters... though one could argue that many times they receive a death sentence anyway, with the jailhouse justice that many times takes place with inmates killing child molesters

I fully support the death penalty but for any sentence of death I believe it bust be accompanied by conclusive proof along the lines of DNA, video evidence, irrefutable confession, or other definite verifiable scientific evidence... a sane society eliminates it's maniacal murderers