What do you think of Capitol Punishment?

[alphatarget1]

also, at some point i think the justice system kills innocents. how do you bring him/her back alive when you realize you killed the wrong person?

 

[Kadarin]

Capitol punishment? Yeah, let's sentence 'em to rot in jail with nothing but C-SPAN to watch for the rest of their natural-born lives.. (nothing quite like having the words of James Traficant shoved down your throat, or being forced to watch Barney Frank speak day after day..)

As for "capital punishment", however, I am all for it in certain cases. Cary Stayner, for example, is an excellent example of a person who should not be alive. To me it's not about revenge or deterrence, or even cost. It's about society growing some balls and drawing a line in the sand to say that there are some actions which shall not be put up with. That it is possible to commit a crime so horrible that the ultimate penalty, the revoking of the right to live, must be paid.

 

[Bluefront]

The problem with capital punishment is we don't use it enough. First degree rape for instance, should warrant the death penalty. Other crimes also.... Cp would be a deterrent if it were used frequently and quickly. Too many lawyers around prevent that from ever becoming reality. Too many lawyers find ways to make money from rapists, murderers, armed robbers, drug dealers, etc.

Oh and Mr. Smoker.....some of your "hot deals" warrant a close look here also. Heh.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

I used to be for it, but now I hesitate. There has been too much reluctance on the part of some state governments to allow testing of criminals DNA who are on death row. The argument summarized is that they have been found guilty, and it does not matter if they did it or not because that is how our justice system is supposed to work That makes me think that perhaps someone has to cover their ass for sloppy work or perhaps were a little too "enthusiastic" in their prosecution. Make sure you are right before you fry someone. You cannot tell a child "We know your dad was innocent, and we killed him but it's ok. We are the government and we can do that"

 

[Pliablemoose]

I'm from Texas too & am a supporter of the death penalty.

Had a girlfriend who's son was murdered, she had a very tough time with the death & went to some support groups intended to help people that have lost someone through a violent crime. She said that the folks who have lost friends/family have more closure & feel safer if the killer is dead.

I feel that some crimes desreve the death sentence.

We have 2 million people behind bars right now.

Another issue folks never consider is the elderly inmate, we pay for that person's care for the rest of their life. Should someone guilty of murder recieve the expensive heart medicine free that your grandmother can't afford?

 

[txgixer]

Originally posted by: Pliablemoose
I'm from Texas too & am a supporter of the death penalty.

Ditto . . .

 

[Mill]

People act like the death penalty is sought in every case. It isn't. Also the lawyers who take on death row appeals don't make money most of the time. They do it pro-bono. The government has to spend money though, but they pay 10,000 for a space pen too.

The death penalty is a weird issue for me. I support it on some cases. On other cases there is just too much doubt to execute someone. Now that DNA testing is getting to be better and better a lot of doubt is going to disappear.

I do think we should stop executing the mentally ill. I am sorry someone who has an IQ under 60 has a hard time grasping reality. There are people on ATOT with IQs over 100 that have a hard time grasping reality, but I digress.

There is a case right now if Georgia where a lady is facing obstruction of justice and assault for supposedly pushing a police officer. What happend is that her son is autistic and was getting angry at a grocery store(had never happened before). The police were called and they tried to restrain him. He punched one of the cops and then they started to try to beat the crap out of him. The lady intervened and the cops says she "pushed" him. They arrested her and the son. When they found out the son was autistic he was released. She still had the charges pressed against her and is going on trial. This case really pisses me off. I can't understand why the DA would even chose to prosecute it.

 

[purbeast0]

I am for the death penalty ....

But like people have said, only under certain circumstances. I believe that if someone brutally murders someone, as the way Nichole Brown Simpson was murdered, that a person like the killer deserves to die. Call me a hypicrote or whatever, but I believe whether that person is mentally ill or just hated that person so much, they are a threat to society. Not just that in that case, but cases like that.

For cases like "Vehicular Manslaughter" that were a complete accident, then something like that should not be considered for the death penalty. But I believe that all people who willing commit an act of murder on a person, should be considered to have the death penalty. If they killed one person, they could kill another.

I also think it's in the best interest of the suspect in some cases for the death penalty to suit them. Just like someone else said ... if an older man raped/murdered a 10 year old girl, this guy would stand no chance in jail. And that kind of crime deserves the death penalty in my eyes. So I believe he mine as well be put to death with capital punishment than recieve all the torture and possibly murder of him in jail. What do you think would happen if Osama Bin Laden was caught, put in jail, and didn't recieve the death penalty?

 

[Hammer]

The Capitol has been pretty naughty lately, we should smack it with a wrecking ball a couple of times to get the old building back in line.

 

[CPA]

Originally posted by: Atrail
It cost more to kill them, than to keep them.
Legal bills and appeals in death sentence cases out way the cost of locking them up for life.
This is true in Texas.

Another example of skewing statistics to further a cause.

The reason it costs more is because of the appeals process with can last years and can go from 4 to 12 appeals (Texas has an automatic appeal for a death sentence conviction). Who pays for the lawyer fees, court costs, evidence costs and time for all of these appeals? The State does. And even when the appeals process concludes it can take several more years before the sentence is carried out. Also, keep in mind death row inmates have tighter security, seperate facilities and other housing matters specific to them that cost more than a traditional dormitory or mass cell facility.

You want to reduce cost? Limit the appeal to one and execute the perp within a month (gives Governor time to issue a stay) after the final conviction.

I won't say I am necessarily an eye for eye person, but the death penalty has its purpose.

 

[CPA]

Originally posted by: ScottyB

Originally posted by: RagingBITCH
How could someone say they'd rather have a guy who raped and killed a 10 year old girl sit in jail for the rest of his life as opposed to being executed? It's pretty simple when you look at it from a broad pov.

Some people feel that killing someone is wrong no matter what the circumstances. What is the difference between a man killing a girl adn a fat pig(cop) killing that man? It is no different IMO. If they have to kill people who murder then the excecuter should also be excecuted and so on and so on.

The executor is generally not a cop, and definitely not a fat pig. The State executes, the executor performs on the State's behalf.

 

[Mill]

Originally posted by: CPA

Originally posted by: Atrail
It cost more to kill them, than to keep them.
Legal bills and appeals in death sentence cases out way the cost of locking them up for life.
This is true in Texas.

Another example of skewing statistics to further a cause.

The reason it costs more is because of the appeals process with can last years and can go from 4 to 12 appeals (Texas has an automatic appeal for a death sentence conviction). Who pays for the lawyer fees, court costs, evidence costs and time for all of these appeals? The State does. And even when the appeals process concludes it can take several more years before the sentence is carried out. Also, keep in mind death row inmates have tighter security, seperate facilities and other housing matters specific to them that cost more than a traditional dormitory or mass cell facility.

You want to reduce cost? Limit the appeal to one and execute the perp within a month (gives Governor time to issue a stay) after the final conviction.

I won't say I am necessarily an eye for eye person, but the death penalty has its purpose.

Like I said the State may pay for the prosecution, but most death penalty defense is done pro-bono. I am for the death penalty like I said, just not in the case of mentally ill. I also want to make sure people are actually guilty(most are).

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

I'm all for capitol punishment. You do something like premeditated murder, mass murder, and rape (repeat offender), you deserve to get your ass fried!

nik

 

[pyonir]

I support CP in cases where there is 100% no doubt the person did it (Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy, John Gacy, etc.)

 

[Michael1897]

i'm all for it.

tx needs to bring back the electric chair or public hangings, that'll discourage them.

 

[kassy]

My home country, New Zealand, doesn't have the death penalty = I used to be against it.
After spending a couple of years in the US = there are some people who just deserve to die.

There are scumbags who get the death penalty and have their lives ended in such a peaceful way that it doesn't really punish them for their crimes... torture would be more appropriate.
Then there are the ones that have since been taken off death row because the justice system stuffed up and got the wrong guy.

There was a case in NZ recently where some young punk kid killed two people = 17 years in jail for his crimes (IMHO not nearly enough for taking the lives of two people)

But in saying that, NZ has a violent crime rate which is much lower than that of the US...

So as a deterrent the Death Penalty doesn't seem to do squat..

In the end, given all of the above, I am still undecided on the subject.

 

[DnetMHZ]

"I like the state of Texas because they're giving out the death penalty like it's coupons!" Nick DiPaolo

 

[Electric Amish]

I think it needs to be used more often.

amish

 

[Harvey]

What do you think of Capitol Punishment?

If you really meant to use that word, you're referring to punishing all the crooked politicians in the nation's and states' capitOls, I'm all for it.

If you're talking about the death penalty, the word you wanted is capitAl, and the answer gets a little more complicated. I think there are cases where the death penalty may be justified, but with the advent of DNA evidence, there have been too many recent cases where someone convicted of a capital crime was later proven to be innocent. It's pretty hard to undo an execution. :Q There is also some evidence showing that is costs less to warehouse a convict for life than to pay for all the appeals, including automatic appeals, in death penalty cases, and I'm not in favor of denying any reasonable appeal where a person's life is at stake.

Originally posted by: dnetmhz
"I like the state of Texas because they're giving out the death penalty like it's coupons!" Nick DiPaolo

I think that post belongs in Hot Deals.

 

[Michael1897]

to solve the cost of execution problem: bring back hangings or firing squads. rope doesn't cost that much and you can reuse it. bullets are fairly cheap also.

 

[Harvey]

Originally posted by: Michael1897
to solve the cost of execution problem: bring back hangings or firing squads. rope doesn't cost that much and you can reuse it. bullets are fairly cheap also.

The means of execution are relatively cheap. As I said, it's the court time and legal expense of a capital trial, including the appeals, that cost so much. Considering that it means irrevocably taking a life, the appeal system is justified, and even then, we know still it has failed to prevent killing innocent people.

 

[pyonir]

Originally posted by: Harvey

Originally posted by: Michael1897
to solve the cost of execution problem: bring back hangings or firing squads. rope doesn't cost that much and you can reuse it. bullets are fairly cheap also.

The means of execution are relatively cheap. As I said, it's the court time and legal expense of a capital trial, including the appeals, that cost so much. Considering that it means irrevocably taking a life, the appeal system is justified, and even then, we know still it has failed to prevent killing innocent people.

precisely why 100% no doubt cases get one appeal, they'll obviously lose that one, and elimination within 2 years. Or if they plead guilty, no need for appeals or a lighter sentance.

 

[Garet Jax]

The problem is that no case is 100% air tight (unless the perp was caught in the act - even that is potentially iffy). It sounds fine to decide to execute someone who is guilty of certain crimes (rape, murder, etc...). I agree with that. The problem is reaching that determination of guilty. It should not be guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This criteria works great for prison cases, but not for execution cases since there is no way to undo the execution.

As a result, I cannot risk the lifes of my loved ones and agree with Capitol Punishment until the law is modified to provide for exacting certainty (ie - not beyond a reasonable doubt, but no doubt).

 

[pyonir]

so you are telling me the Jeffrey Dahmer case was not 100% air tight? come on.

 

[Garet Jax]

Originally posted by: pyonir
so you are telling me the Jeffrey Dahmer case was not 100% air tight? come on.

Actually no. What I am saying is that I would rather have Jeffrey Dahmer alive and locked up in prison for the rest of his life, then have one innocent person killed. Especially when that innocent person could be my wife or brother or sister or child or....

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