the death penalty

I know I make a lot of posts about current events, and touchy topics etc
But I'm interested in hearing your views on this.
My views, I guess you could say I'm the fence. I can't begin to imagine how horrible it is for the family and friends of a victim to murder, to know that their loved one died at the hands of someone who had NO place to take any life. And that its only natural for them to want death for that murder
However, some people say death would be, “an easy way out“ and I think the murderers family should be considered, in some cases they rather visit them in a prision then at a funeral. I've heard of a case where a woman killed a guard at a prision trying to escape with her boyfriend, she was going to get death but then it was changed to life when her lawyer made a case about how it wasn't fair to her young kids if they didn't have a mother anymore

 

I think it should be left up to the family of the victim. If the family wishes to see the perpatrator killed, then they should be allowed to kill him/her themselves, in any way they see fit. Aside from that, I don't think the state/federal government should have any right to execute anyone, as they personally have nothing to do with it.

 

I hate the idea of the death penalty and am so glad we don't have it here.

 

I'm against it. It certainly hasn't deterred people from committing murder.

I don't believe it's within the state's authority to execute people.

I don't like the fact that my tax dollars fund it.

 

one of the problems with the death penalty is that in the past,people that were innocent have been killed by mistake........
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Wrongful execution is a miscarriage of justice occurring when an innocent person is put to death by capital punishment, the "death penalty." Cases of wrongful execution are cited as an argument by the opponents of capital punishment.
A number of people are claimed to have been innocent victims of the death penalty.
Newly-available DNA evidence has allowed the exoneration and release of more than 15 death row inmates since 1992 in the United States

 

I think it should be used sparingly in cases that truly deserve it for their sheer depravity of human life. For example the Petit family killings here in Connecticut:
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/p/petit_family/index.html
I've never seen a whole city so happy over someone be given the death penalty.

 

It seems like a great idea to get rid of some garbage...but if even one person is wrongfully executed, the system fails.

 

I agree with you. I think that if there is exact proof (for instance, the idiot in AZ who shot 6 people), then definitely do it. I'm all for human rights and whatnot, but when someone does something seriously bad like take another life, rape people, etc, then they deserve what they did to someone else.

I feel for the families of these people, but you have to think of the families of the victims that did no wrong in these cases. For instance, there is a case going on in NH right now with a guy who randomly broke into a house, killed a woman and her daughter is in critical condition with stab wounds all over her body. This isn't fair for that family. I will empathize more with that family than the family of the lunatic who broke in and did that.

I'm very liberal on a lot of my views in life, but when it comes to severe violence, I think the only justice is giving these people back the karma they did to others.

 

The moral reason why I think murder is wrong is that no human should decide when another human lives or dies. If one believes in a God or Gods or higher power, that decision is up to the higher power, not another human on the same level. If one does not believe in a higher power, than all humans are on the same level, and no human should be so better than another as to have the moral superiority to decide when someone lives or dies. That's why I view murder as wrong, and for the same reason why I view the death penalty as wrong. I don't see why a judge, jury, the public, or executioner should have the moral superiority to decide life or death.

 

Exactly. And if its someone who is definitely guilty with no ifs ands or buts, they shouldn't get that privilege in my opinion...why should they take someone's life (or lives depending on the crime), but they get to sit cozy in a jail while the families of their victim(s) are suffering? No...that is wrong in my eyes.

 

There is a reason why murder is illegal in the first place; because no one has the right to take human life. For a government to do so is highly hypocritical.

I like to think that we are sophisticated enough that we do not need to resort to brutal and barbaric practices. And regardless of justification, taking life is barbaric.

 

I don't think they should be given a 'good' life in prison - they are there as a punishment, and them sitting watching tv all day is going to change nothing, but I do not believe that killing them is the answer.

 

That's the way I see it - some kills a person, then is told that he has committed a crime and needs punishment - so they do exactly the same. You cannot justify the taking if a life, with the taking of a life - in my opinion.

 

I don't think cozy is the right word to describe prison.

 

It might not be the right word...but I'M PAYING FOR IT and they don't deserve it...

"Do unto others..."

 

Judge not lest ye be judged.

Even murderers are still human beings, in fact this is why most people in jail for murder are in there for second degree murder, and a good deal of those convicted of murder in the 1st don't get the death penalty, it takes a serious kind of revolt and disgust for most juries to get to that point.

 

I have changed my opinion many times over the years on this issue . I'm not sure if getting older is making me any wiser . At 41 I still struggle with the same moral issues . There are some " human " lifeforms that go so terribly wrong and evil , that there is no place for them among society ever ! Serial killers for instance . The pain they cause in this world is unfathomable . Yes I absolutely believe some of these evil monsters should be put to death , for there crimes against humanity !
However , there have been WAY to many innocent people executed for crimes they were falsely accused of . In my opinion unless d.n.a. is proven in every capital murder case , then the death penalty should NOT be an option in ANY case were concrete d.n.a. evidence was not established . For me it's better to abolish the death penalty altogether , then execute one more innocent person. I n many cases it's mush better today if the perpetrator gets life instead of the death penalty . Cause if the perpetrator gets death , he can sit in a cell all by himself isolated from the general population for up to 20 years , then get a needle and go to sleep . It's too easy go to sleep and their struggle ends . No, it's much better to face the rest of there life in general population , in total misery until either old age , prison violence, or suicide takes them .
The book of genesis talks of many state executions that God was aware of , and condoned !
" An eye for an eye , a tooth for a tooth "
" thou shall not murder " was written for the individual not the state .
People read it to literally . Cause if that was the case no state or country should be able to defend itself , if attacked by another . In essence every soldier who had killed in war , would be guilty of the sin of murder . That's not the case .
The state is a collective of all , where as the individual only represents himself .

 

Today with forensics and the process of appeal for those who are convicted and sentenced to death, there is a very low rate of wrongful conviction. Most wrongful conviction cases are dating back to before forensics were what they are today. There are also legal options for those executions to be halted. The process of appeal is a long one and ample time is given to appeal.

I have very missed feelings on this topic. I view all life to be equally important but I also feel that someone who premeditates a murder or kills someone who is simply doing their job forfeits some of those rights.

I do not believe that the death penalty will stop those who murder but it would stop those who have from ever doing so again. That any family has to go through the senseless death of a loved one would possibly be spared for another family.

There are people who are within our society that will never have a moral compass and if given the opportunity will do the same thing again. Rehabilitation does not work for some people and the can not be integrated back into society. They will re-offend.

Hard call and I am not sure at times how I feel. I would like to think that I could accept and forgive if it were to happen within my family but I do not think I could do so. I also though do not know if I could condone it across the board as a means to deal with those who do not respect others lives.

I guess I think that if it means that someone who can kill would not then be able to do so again, given that the probability is that they would, I would support it. Not as retribution but as a way to stop the inevitable from happing again.

 

I have no mixed feelings on the death penalty. I love the idea of the death penalty and I am so glad we have it here.

The so called human beings who committed the Petit family murders are perfect examples of who the death penalty is for.

 

Rabid animals are put down for good reason. Some humans are like rabid animals whether from nature or lack of nurture or both. Positive proof=put 'em down. There's a case now here in Oregon where a mother beat,witheld food and water, broke her daughters teeth,whipped her unmercifully and the girl eventually died. The mother is on trial for torture and murder and faces the death penalty.(McAnulty case--Eugene Register Guard,Feb 17th,2011). The father faces 1st degree murder charges also --because he did NOTHING to stop the abuse. There's no doubt about what she did. Should she get to live out her life??