Supreme court to hear death sentence inhumane

[squirrley]

BULLSHIT! BULLSHIT BULLSHIT BULLSHIT!! and then more ****ing Bullshit!

I can NOT believe after a hundred years the Supreme Court will decided if lethal injection is inhumane, and to have some asshole who murdered 2 police officers complain its inhumane. Kiss my ass mother****er.

I strongly believe in the death penalty and to hear that death sentences could be put on hold until the Supreme Court decides, what utter bs. Im so disgusted by this.

I think as a society and times change we change things, and lethal injection by far is the most humane way of putting someone to death. this just erks my shit. I cannot think of another form which would satisfy those assholes on death row for their crimes and who are deserving. If it were up to me, an eye for an eye. You slain someone, let our government slain your sorry ass back. you blow someones head off let us blow yours off too.

im just an aw at this. What the hell is our country coming to???

[DoesntMatter]

The laws are too lenient on sick murderers like cop killers, and too tough on drug offenders. Things should be set straight

Either the murderer can be given the lethal injection, or killed in the same manner in which he killed his victims

[Illusional]

bottom line.. i support the death penalty.

raverboy

[squirrley]

ALL THE WAY!!!! DEATH PENALTY!

I was talking with a co worker today and she's like
"yea but do you know how many people who were wrongly sentenced in the past?" Yes the PAST, we have DNA and science evidence now that is irefutible!!!

Damnit put those assholes down!

[Tiay]

what the heck? the Death Penalty is dumb. wow. I can't believe anyone on this forum thinks this way.

Let me explain, hear me out.. Yes I'm all for a horrible serial rapist/killer getting his head blown off. The problem however is WHO do you give the job of deciding who's got to die? The only person eligible for the job is someone who knows beyond a shadow of a doubt if the person is guilty or not in every single case, and also if they can be rehabilitated or were somehow forced into the crime, or if they are simply a cruel person- DNA cannot answer these vital questions. DNA also cannot say if something was murder or manslaughter, nor can it say if the criminal was in fact having an epileptic seizure or schizophrenic episode at the time. These factors alone VASTLY influence the appropriate sentence, and the blood on the knife can't tell us this stuff- we interpret from the evidence given. And no matter how exact the evidence, as soon as we interpret, there is the capacity to be WRONG and kill an innocent person.

yea but do you know how many people who were wrongly sentenced in the past?" Yes the PAST, we have DNA and science evidence now that is irefutible!!!

have you researched that opinion? You apparently haven't thought about it enough to even come up with the most obvious faults to this statement that I mentioned above, and yet you hold a strong pro-death-penalty opinion and would support it in a vote without a further thought. You are the perfect example of why nobody should have the beforementioned job.

since there is no such all knowing person is in existence, at least not who we can contact, we can't ever be sure of the above factors and others when sentencing someone to death.

I don't believe in punishment as much as prevention- That is, if someone grew up in an abusive ghetto kinda place, and then shot someone.. how much of that is really their fault? Is it not also the fault of the government for not taking them away from their abusive parents and making the environment livable? It is WAY too easy to say "he shot him. therefore we shot him back. there, now there's no problem anymore." It neatly blames the person and ONLY the person for the crime, so that the bigger seed of the problem cannot be addressed.
I think locking people up should not be to punish them- but rather to simply keep them from harming anyone in the general public.

also, you think DNA evidence and such are infallible and always right? No, they're not. I can guarantee you, even with the new forensic techniques, innocent people have been sentenced to death. Not just because there can be a lack of physical evidence, or because evidence can be planted, but because human beings are the ones doing the looking for/examining of the evidence, making it fallible to human error and interpretation.

Then there are statistics such as.. attractive people get more lenient sentences. Do black people get harder sentences? Whether this is intentional or not, judges ARE INFLUENCED by their prejudices or simply subconscious body-language they get off the person. This is an UNAVOIDABLE FACT that comes with human existence, it is part of us and happens ALL THE TIME. Only most of the time it does not matter; 200 hours of community service or 400? This brand shampoo or the other? Date this taller guy or the shorter one? we make choices every day that aren't based on rational reasons and that are possibly even influenced subconsciously. This is why I say no judge, or in fact any human being, is fit to decide who dies or lives.

edit: a disproportionate amount of black people are on death row. If you're wealthy and white, you're also more likely to escape death row on your appeal.How do you justify that? It's all well and good for you right now, but what if in the future you're in a group of people who the government doesn't like, or even wants to wipe out? Hey Hitler came up with plenty of convincing-sounding reasons why all jews deserved to die. What if your voting system is a stupid joke and some idiot gets the power? oh wait, that already happened... right.

a few more points:

-> the death penalty clearly sends the message that human life can and should be taken when the person deserves it. Just the sort of message that'd make someone decide to kill someone else, really, when you think about it.

-> It would be nice to label the criminal as being pure evil, having no loving parents or siblings, no feelings, fears, doubts, pains or any other human attributes, but it is a much too simplistic view.

-> studies suggest that capital punishment is not an effective deterrent- in fact, is it possibly the opposite.

[Jimmy1218]

ALL THE WAY!!!! DEATH PENALTY!

To you, death penalty might not mean much, since you're not a criminal (at least i hope you're not), so you don't get to die. But put yourself in the criminal's shoes for once and see how you would feel if your living days are being counted and you know that they're gonna lay a cap in your head.

I feel that no one has the right to take the life of another living thing. But eh, thats how the world works. Killing.

But I definately hate the death penalty

[squirrley]

I have VERY strong feelings for the death penalty and have those feelings for almost 20 years. I did a term paper on and received an A on that puppy. People have CHOICES in life. A bad upbringing doesnt justify someones actions in life. Stabbing someone repeatedly, or a rageful rape with death, I could go on, and how does that give that person the right to continue with their life? thats whats bs. What about the family members of the victims? Some have been able to forgive that person. Others not.

In the state of CA, years ago, they wanted to televise the executions at midnight(due to children) to deter those who even thought of committing such a crime.

I KNOW for a fact there are numerous people who were wrongly put to death, but that does NOT in any means mean it shouldnt be used. I dont beleive the death penalty is used as a deterent for a crime. But it used for those people who commit crimes that are stated which are to be used for death sentences.

IF you had a family member who was brutally murdered could you honestly say you'd forgive that person and feel ok that theyre living??? I couldnt even stomach it, if someone in my family were subjected to it and that person was living out a life in prison working out free tv free food, play time and our lovely system will even pay for them to get a college education? Where in the hell is the fairness in that?

Where is the justification for the victims family? I do believe we've had some inhumane ways of death sentencing in the past but today things have changed. When I refer to DNA, I was referring to my conversation with a co worker. And a judge himself just doesnt decide the perps fate, its the jury of their peers. I dont say its always right, and I dont believe someone with severe mental disabilties should be put to death. But the whole mental crap used to get out of the death penalty is over used. Everyone whose even committed of crime whose possiblty of death penalty is on the table oh well hey they had a bad past, oh hey theyre mentally disabled, has become EVERY cotton pickers defense.

Of course I believe in the death penalty because there are actions that should have the proper recourse taken. As far as someone being rehabilitated, MAYBE. But a murderer? How do you rehab someone who viciously takes someone elses life? How can someone say its ok for a person to take someone out of this world in the manner they do and reward them by just putting them in the system? BULLSHIT

These are the people I refer to, those who take someone elses life with no regard to their life. Obviously not even their own. Since when is it ok to kill police officers? Where does our govt draw the line? Yea the death penalty. THERE HAS to be consequences for those who make decisions to committ such horrible crimes. A slap on the hand and thrown in jail is not the answer. It takes YEARS for someone to get to the point of their actual sentence. They have years to enjoy their breaths, but what about the victims? Their families?

It boggles my mind that in our country were about to say hey its ok if you go and kill someone the worst that will happen is you'll be thrown in jail. BULLSHIT. To place myself in someone elses shoes whose on death row, oh hell no. They put themselves there to begin with. I do NOT feel sorry for those people.

I do however feel for those families whom have lost someone to the death penalty wrongfully. We have to have law and order in this country otherwise it would be total caos in our country. Thats why there are laws! As far as the racial issue, Ive never mentioned it. Thats not an issue to me, but since you've brought it up, its a fact there are more crimes committed by black people You can say thats our justice system for ya, but its still a fact. Money does play a role in our system thats a fact. Theyre sad facts, but that does NOT justify removing the death penalty from our law books.

Im truly a sympathetic person, but this I cannot be. A few years ago here in FL in my town where I just moved from, a little girl was brutally raped and murdered and the guy buried her in his yard. NOW, if that had been my daughter Id be first in line to release those chemicals. That son of a bitch had NO remorse, no PAST to say thats why he did it. He just did it. THATS ****ing wrong.

I am a mother, and maybe some of my strong opinion has to do with it, the protective mode. Im 37 in 2 days, and my beliefs stand.
Someone who robs a grocery store and kills the cashier for a 100 dollars, come on. There was a woman here in FL about 10 years ago who went on a killing spree. Killed like 8 people including a police officer, whom I happen to know later on. She was sentenced to death and was put to death last year. The pain those families feel still linger.

I will NOT pursuade anyone here to change their mind nor tell them they are wrong, everyone is entitled to their own opinions. We are NOT God and although its HIS decision when its our time to go, but there has got to be consequences for such severe actions. And the death penalty is one of them.

[DoesntMatter]

@Tiay-

You're best point was that an innocent person might be killed, which is in my opinion the best reason to abolish the death penalty.

Being white and rich will get you off the hook, but being black and rich will do the same (think OJ Simpson, guilty beyond any doubt and off the hook).

Kind of morbid to talk like this, but not all murders are equal. Killing an innocent person is murder. The person who is killed is a victim, and the person who did the killing is a murderer. The murderer should be dealt with harshly.

But if a problem arises in some drug trafficking operation where the traffickers kill another one because he didn't live up to some end of a deal or is trying to jack them out of their cash, it is more like a killing than a murder. The person killed was not innocent. It doesn't mean he's an evil, bad person though. They knowingly entered an arena that is outside the confines of the law, which makes violence the enforcer. But then again, such people will get life in prison by virtue of being involved in drug trafficking, so he's already ****ed

I don't think most criminals are bad people. I think only a very small percent are what you call "evil", but I think sick and twisted in the head is how I would call it. This includes serial killers, child molestors, cult leaders, etc. If anything, save the death penalty for these sick ****s

[Illusional]

holy shit... wassup with all these long posts??

well... first, if you're already on death row then you would have to have done something very stupid to get there in the first place.. yes i said stupid. people don't commit crimes with the intention of not getting caught. they know that chances that they take, and it's too bad for them, but some of them get the death penalty. i can see if you're busted for j-walking and they slap you on the wrist, but if you've killed someone and played doctor with their intestines then it's a different story.

secondly, i know that the death penalty is very costly. with all the trials and bullshit, it usually adds up to about 2 million per inmate. to keep someone in jail is roughly 10,000 per year. i know that numbers are really different, but I, you, we are paying all these fees for this. hey, it's my piece of the pie and i want to see something happen. if i'm paying extra taxes, i don't want any freeloading leeching off of me. i want to spend the extra 500 bucks a month and see someone get killed for yes.

btw, yes i did like the movie hostel.

raverboy

[vashti]

I strongly oppose the death penalty... not out of pity for the criminal, but because I think it is degrading to society.

Besides, it is cheaper to let them rot in prison, and I am ultimately a practical girl. (And yeah, I'm a mother, too.)

BTW Tiay - although I agree with some of your argument, the thought of someone being wrongly convicted with DNA evidence is absurd.

[miSSleepy]

I have VERY strong feelings for the death penalty and have those feelings for almost 20 years. I did a term paper on and received an A on that puppy.

Congrats on that, but so what? Receiving an A doesn't justify anything but your ability to write an essay.

People have CHOICES in life. A bad upbringing doesnt justify someones actions in life. Stabbing someone repeatedly, or a rageful rape with death, I could go on, and how does that give that person the right to continue with their life? thats whats bs. What about the family members of the victims? Some have been able to forgive that person. Others not.

Upbringing is VERY influential.
Who actually decides whether someone has a right to live or not? I doubt very much that humans should decide whether or not another human should live. Killing the criminal isn't going to bring the victim back so it's not JUSTICE
it's VENGANCE.

In the state of CA, years ago, they wanted to televise the executions at midnight(due to children) to deter those who even thought of committing such a crime.

You're kidding. That is sickening and macabre - it's no better than people crowding around the gallows and rooting for the hanging of some poor street utchin.

I KNOW for a fact there are numerous people who were wrongly put to death, but that does NOT in any means mean it shouldnt be used.

Yes it does, because what you're saying is that it's WORTH THE RISK OF INNOCENT LIVES all because the criminal desrves to die because HE TOOK AN INNOCENT life.

I dont beleive the death penalty is used as a deterent for a crime. But it used for those people who commit crimes that are stated which are to be used for death sentences.

WTF? You're saying it's used becasuse it's written down somewhere that it should be used for a said crime?

IF you had a family member who was brutally murdered could you honestly say you'd forgive that person and feel ok that theyre living???

No. But again, that's vengance.

Where is the justification for the victims family?

Killing the criminal will not bring any justification!

I'm going to stop there because this whole argument holds no source or credit apart from personal opinion and attitude.

[Charlie Boy II]

Even aside from any ethical arguments, the death sentence is moronic. It's doesn't act as a deterrent. It costs the state staggering amounts of money. Mostly, people are put to death based on their ability to afford good legal defence. The court system simply isn't watertight enough to be executing people based on a jury's decision.

As far as I can see, the only valid reason is revenge. Which might be immediately satisfying in some way, but, in the end, what good is it?

[Illusional]

don't you notice how all those people who are rotting away in prison are usually eligible for parole because of "good behavior".. it's kinda ironic.

raverboy

[miSSleepy]

I also noted something interesting ... about 95% of people I have talked to who are against stem cell research and the like because it's 'playing God' are also for the death penalty, which is in essance playing God. Not referring to the OP here as it hasn't been mentioned by the hypocricy in general is amazing.

[Tiay]

people have already made some excellent points here.

Jimmy saw that criminals are actual people whose lives cannot be defined by one single act.

DM pointed out another variable in a crime that, again, the most accurate evidence can't solve.

yay, Vashti said it is degrading to society. and I agree.

but I would say.. DNA can't read minds! DNA can't tell us "yes, this guy held the gun- but he was actually only firing a warning shot because he was scared witless.."? there are numerous situations where DNA evidence can't give us the full picture.

MiSSleepy said that receiving an A doesn't justify anything but ability to write an essay. I couldn't have said it better myself.

squirrley, I knew you'd make that "people make choices" point. And yes, they do. And no, I certainly don't think that a serial killer should be able to say "well, I had a terrible childhood" and get off the hook completely. BUT, sentencing them to death allows politicians to wash their hands of the problem by saying "ok, that evil bastard is taken care of, problem solved, look at me being hard on criminals.", without having to look at the causative factors, which is the only thing that could truly lower the rate of violent crime.

Some countries have less violent crime than others. Is this because people there just make better choices? No, it's because the society there is such that people are more likely to make better choices. When a human being does terrible things to another, we must not say "ok let's kill them back", that's childish and wont solve the problem, we must say "ok lets put him away so that he doesnt' hurt anyone..but lets also look at what caused them to be that way, and what can we do to make sure that doesn't happen again."

miSSleepy pointed out the hypocricy of many people being against stem cell research (and abortion?) because it's too much like playing god-- oh but sentencing people to death is fine...?