Do you believe in capital punishment? (Yes I know, yet another thread, but with a twist.)

[Zoltar]

Would you be willing to execute a man sentenced to death by the courts if you were selected by lot to do so and he would go free if you refused? Assume you know no details of the trial.

I'll put my opinion later. I don't wish to influence the answers yet.

 

No man has the right to kill another man.

 

[Vikaden]

So who kills them now? Do the switches throw themselves?

 

[skywhr]

Yes, and I'd get paid to do it!

 

[shiznut123]

No

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

I can't imagine how I could do this if I knew nothing about the case. Many, many people on death row have later been released when new evidence revealed they were innocent, and if I felt any personal doubt as to the person's guilt I would much rather release him than kill him.

 

[poop]

Nope. Death penalty=bad.

Though I would kill someone if they were trying to harm my family. I don't think I would have a problem pulling the trigger in defense.

 

[Double Trouble]

I'd have no problem flipping the switch....

 

[TheBrit]

No! :frown:

"If it's working, don't fix it!"
TheBrit

 

[Zoltar]

I was awaiting for all the liberals to answer with no.

What if you let this person go without knowledge of what he did before, and he got out and did it to 20 more people.

What if he was a child molester? Kidnapped children, tortured for weeks locked in his basement, raped and killed?

How would you feel then?

What if you were confronted with the parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents of the children brutally murdered? And let's assume they have the knowledge of the fact that you are the person that set them free?

 

[Ferocious]

The death penalty must be abolished immediately.

Because it does not apply to everyone equally.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

What if you let this person go without knowledge of what he did before, and he got out and did it to 20 more people.

What if he was a child molester? Kidnapped children, tortured for weeks locked in his basement, raped and killed?

How would you feel then?

What if you were confronted with the parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents of the children brutally murdered? And let's assume they have the knowledge of the fact that you are the person that set them free?

Obviously any sane person would feel bad if this person committed a string of additional crimes. My mother (who is a judge) once released a man on bail for spousal abuse, and he promptly went home and murdered his wife. Obviously my mother was devastated, but that did not make her decision as to bail the wrong one.

That said, I would feel a whole lot worse if I killed the convict and he was later exonerated by DNA evidence. IMO you cannot justify any important decision by its results if it is wrong at the time it is made.

 

[creedog]

<< No man has the right to kill another man >>




A person most certainly has the right to kill in self defense

 

[Thorn]

<< The death penalty must be abolished immediately.

Because it does not apply to everyone equally. >>


Using that logic, the entire country should be abolished. That's just ignorant.

Yes, I could throw the switch.


<< No man has the right to kill another man. >>


The criminal gave up his right to life when he tok the life of another. As long as there are people who desire murder, there will always be those who practice capial punishment. And if the government abolishes it, there'll be lynchings. It's the same argument as with abortion. You can make it illegal, but it's still going to happen.

Let me ask you this. Is it better to have capital punishment done in a controlled environment where pain is minimized (lethal injection) or in a prison with a shiv (after a 20 person gang rape)?

 

[woodie1]

Be happy to get rid of another scumbag.

 

[Badbry]

PICK ME!! PICK ME!! I'll Pull The Switch....

 

[Elledan]

Capital punishment and self-defense are two totally different things.

It all comes down to direct danger, i.e. is the suspect a threat to anyone which has to be taken seriously?

If someone enters your home in the middle of the night, carrying a shotgun, you can kill him, for he forms a direct threat to you (and maybe your family/any other people in the house/neighborhood)

After someone is captured after he has commited a murder, it's a cruel and cowardly act to kill that person. He doesn't form a direct threat, he's seriously outnumbered, the situation is under control and he is harmless

 

[StageLeft]

I believe in it, but I don't really agree with it

 

[gittyup]

Usually I don't but in some cases where the acts of violence were so horrid, I could sway the other way..

 

[Double Trouble]

Elledan... the question is not whether someone is an imminent or immediate threat to someone else. We have rules in society, and certain behavior is considered so hanous that we have to remove the offending citizen from society altogether. If someone breaks those rules, they should pay the price, plain and simple.

Now ask me if I think the legal process works properly, and it's a whole other ballgame. It's obvious that in the US those with $$$ have a completely different legal system with different standards than those without $$$. Celebrities and the wealthy get fewer and shorter jail terms, are more likely to get probation, are more likely to get off scott-free etc. If you can afford a great legal team you can get away with just about anything (OJ, anyone?), but if you're just some shmo off the street, you'll get the short end of the stick.... but that's a different thread.

 

[thraashman]

If I felt the man got a fair trial and was definately guilty, then yes. I'd do it and I'd enjoy it. I'm for the death penalty, but since our court system still makes mistakes, we can't always be sure the person really is guilty. Also people who everyone knows are guilty sometime still get off. In other words, I'd flip the switch on O.J. in a second.

 

[Elledan]

<<the question is not whether someone is an imminent or immediate threat to someone else. We have rules in society, and certain behavior is considered so hanous that we have to remove the offending citizen from society altogether. If someone breaks those rules, they should pay the price, plain and simple.>>

'remove from society'? Sounds okay, but may I remind you that of everyone who has ever killed or tried to kill someone will most likely never do such a thing again after s/he has been released? Not everyone is a serial murderer, you know...

And anyway, killing someone who doesn't stand a chance is only suitable for cowards. Even if someone kills a person, that doesn't give you the right to kill him/her without giving him/her a chance.

There's no honor in killing a defenseless man/woman. Therefore I would never assist in such a cowardly practice.

 

[Zoltar]

Ellendan,

Are you a trek fan, klingon in particular?

J/K

 

[Schola]

Name the place and time and I'll make sure that I dress up real nice to pull that switch.

Schola

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

I think this is an interesting example in that it literally requires blind faith in the justice system. I work as a federal prosecutor and I certainly have less faith in the infallibility of the criminal courts than many others here apparently do.