Bye Bye Death Penalty

TheRoadDog

I was born in Texas, that should about sum up my view on the subject.

In Texas, you can see the line move.

MissTattoo

There are people who have committed crimes so heinous that I'd pull the lever myself.

However, our court system is so screwed up that I don't trust any guilty verdicts anymore, especially if the culprit isn't white. Until we fix our court system, I'm all for abolishing the death penalty. You can't appeal when you're dead.

Unfortunately, the way the system works now, you have a better chance of being able to appeal from death row than if you're in prison for life, however. And if you and your family have no money you're plain out of luck if you want something like DNA tested to prove your innocence. So the appeals system needs to change, too.

Agreed. They system is too flawed for me to have faith in it. Some people have the attitude that it doesn't matter what evidence there is, if you are found guilty then you are guilty. What about all the people who go free after losing years of their lives because of the flawed system?

I say keep them alive and use them for zombie bait later. Or space prison sounds awesome. Build a prison on the moon.

TexanThom

I'm against the death penalty - there have been some cases when the person hasn't been guilty.
Killing for killing = wrong IMO.

Names?????

Troy Davis was one that I can remember off the top of my head.

Sorry...But you are full of it!

macpatti

I live in Texas, but I am Catholic, and I defend the right to life. I understand the Church's position has been that murder in self-defense can be justified and that the dealth penalty in some cases is an act of "self defense of society". While that may have been true at some point, I believe we are capable of keeping people imprisoned for life now.

doorki

I am from the city that executed TImothy McVey in Indiana. However, being Catholic, I have a hard time justifying the death penalty. I am conflicted.

I think all those on Death Row should instead be dropped on an island with other felons and let them fend for themselves. Let Darwin win.

But then you get Australia....then again.....they seem kind of fun. Lets do it!

LemonsAndCoffee

Another example of our country and world becoming a Brady bunch pu$$y version of itself. Disgusting! We need more capital punishment, not less. Public flogging should be applauded, not looked down upon.

A - freakin - MEN!!!

k8blujay2

Only 17 states don't have the death penalty? Wow, I thought it was a lot more than that! I do live in one of those states (Wisconsin).

As many other people said, unless is obvious, 100% guilt for a horrible crime, I am uncomfortable with the notion.

While many States still have it on the books, many don't use it as an option... Shoot, if I remember correctly Washington State still has hanging as a Death Penalty option... so in reality a criminal, if sentanced to death, can request to be hanged.

ncahill77

I am all for it, but I do hate the system that lets someone who is 100% guilty go on and appeal for 30 years. I also agree rapists and child molestors should be put down. Honestly if I was a billionaire like Bill Gates or Richard Branson money I would just pay to have it done and call it my public service work.

BAMFMeredith

I am from the city that executed TImothy McVey in Indiana. However, being Catholic, I have a hard time justifying the death penalty. I am conflicted.

I think all those on Death Row should instead be dropped on an island with other felons and let them fend for themselves. Let Darwin win.

But then you get Australia....then again.....they seem kind of fun. Lets do it!

Hahaha I thought the same thing!

ArroganceInStep

My opinions:

The best argument(s) against the death penalty (in the US) to make to people who are for it:
1) Executing someone is more expensive than imprisoning them for life

That is because the gov't is involved. They need to outsource it. Heck, I could carry out the punishment for $0.35. That is much cheaper than imprisonment.

I imagine you're joking, but in case you aren't the vast majority of the expense of an execution has nothing to do with the actual act of killing the person.

BAMFMeredith

I am all for it, but I do hate the system that lets someone who is 100% guilty go on and appeal for 30 years. I also agree rapists and child molestors should be put down. Honestly if I was a billionaire like Bill Gates or Richard Branson money I would just pay to have it done and call it my public service work.

Word. People who rape children do not deserve 3 meals a day and cable television.

doorki

Another example of our country and world becoming a Brady bunch pu$$y version of itself. Disgusting! We need more capital punishment, not less. Public flogging should be applauded, not looked down upon.

A - freakin - MEN!!!

okay...so basically, with the death penalty, you are teaching society that killing is ultimate justice. Therefore, when someone who is most likely deluded, feels that people have wronged him and deserve ultimate justice, he starts killing people. Good lesson.

joeylu

I am clueless on why we pay to house and feed someone for the rest of their lives instead of giving them the death penalty. If their crime was so bad that they can no longer be in society then why do we as a state, country have to waste of tax money keeping them alive?????

Eaglesfanintn

The death penalty is just way too expensive. It costs less to jail someone for life than to fry them. That's why New Jersey got rid of it a few years ago.

Besides, I rather see somone rot in jail everday for the rest of their life than get the easy way out.

That is because there is an appeals process and we keep them alive for years if not decades. I think if the judge says "guilty, sentence is death". BOOM. They are dead immediately. Shot in the head by the executioner.

I also think the lawyers should suffer the same punishment as their client. Sure would cut down on the defense of the guilty POS that committed some of these awful crimes. Plus it would really cut down on all these frivolous law suits.

Wow, glad you didn't write our Constitution and you're certainly not an expert on it. I also hope that you're never accused of a crime that you did or didn't commit and need a defense attorney. Not sure if anyone would defend you knowing that you'd want them to get the same punishment you do.
Also, not to put too fine a point on it, but I'm not sure how many civil cases (the lawsuits you refer to) have ended in capital punishment.

EmCarroll1990

I am all for it, but I do hate the system that lets someone who is 100% guilty go on and appeal for 30 years. I also agree rapists and child molestors should be put down. Honestly if I was a billionaire like Bill Gates or Richard Branson money I would just pay to have it done and call it my public service work.

Word. People who rape children do not deserve 3 meals a day and cable television.

This.

y353

I live in Brasil and we dont have Capital punishment. But I wish we do (of course, with legal procedures, and a true guilt criminal).

We don't have any more space in prisons.
But could always find more burying ground (or maybe cremate and use the ashes as something usefel). Just saying.

LemonsAndCoffee

This will probably be an unpopular opinion - but it amazes me that there are any states in the US that still have the death penalty. It seems medieval to me.

(From Britain)

I think it's when I hear of these horrible crimes and I picture how these people were killed, so brutally and many times for no "reason", (I use that term loosely), I just don't feel they have the right to breath the air that they so quickly and horrifically took from another human being.

I do get that, and feel the same, honestly. I just think meeting violence with violence isn't the way that a civilised society behaves. Look at what other countries in the world still do it - are they countries you want to be in the same club as?

I also think that if even one person in a thousand is wrongly executed, that's too many, and the only way to avoid that is not to execute people at all.

Also - if the death penalty's OK, are other forms of corporal punishment OK too? Is it OK to cut the hands off people who steal, or stone women who commit adultery, or allow teachers to flog pupils for misbehaving in class? Where does it then end?

Yes! I completely believe in "eye for an eye" punishment. I'm all for cutting off hands of theifs , castrating molestors, etc. I think our country could benefit from some serious punishments these days.

magichatter06

If you can't put them to death you could at least take them somewhere and make them dig holes all day instead of lounging around in a facility all day with tv to watch and other activities.

ninerbuff

I'm not against it, but we can't afford it. The cost of appeals (usually to the state) allowed to a death penalty inmate far exceeds the cost of leaving them to rot in jail. With American rights to justice, there will always be loopholes that don't make sense.


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Ruger2506

My opinions:

The best argument(s) against the death penalty (in the US) to make to people who are for it:
1) Executing someone is more expensive than imprisoning them for life

That is because the gov't is involved. They need to outsource it. Heck, I could carry out the punishment for $0.35. That is much cheaper than imprisonment.

I imagine you're joking, but in case you aren't the vast majority of the expense of an execution has nothing to do with the actual act of killing the person.

Exactly my point. It should be "guilty!" Bang, dead. Not "guilty." sit in jail appealing for 30 years.