Does sentencing a murderer to death make them a muderer themselves?

Answer 1

mur·der (mûr'dər)
n.
The unlawful killing of one human by another, especially with premeditated malice.


Since setencing someone to death isn't unlawful, no.

Answer 2

I don't know why people put the thumbs down on something when you didn't even put your view on the subject, you just asked a question. Anyway, somebody said on here the other day, more than 50% of people who have been executed were later found to be mentally retarded, so that their confession would be wrong, or that they were infact innocent. I don't think that the death sentence stops murder anyway. You are still 7 times more likely to be murdered in the states than in Britain. The homocide rate in Washington DC is 43 per 100,000 and it's only 2 in London. The death sentence is just useless. Apparently 85% of the worlds serial killers are American. So how does the death sentence prevent it? I would rather die than be in a cell for the rest of my life anyway.

Answer 3

No, since murder is the unlawful killing of another human being. It makes them killers, and may violate somebody's moral views, but it does not make them murderers.

This is the sort of issue that brings out everyone's moral indignation, which makes an examination of the underlying issues impossible. We become so certain that our point of view must be right, and that there is some deeply rooted moral problem with anyone who disagrees with us, that we can't step back and say "Hey, I understand why they see things this way. It makes sense from their point of view. Now, can we come to some sort of understanding? Is there a middle ground, or a better answer that isn't even on our radar?"

The great problem with a gigantic, half-educated citizenry is that we all assume we have a right to have opinions on everything, and then assume that our opinion is correct. There is no room for an exchange of ideas, and no room for a quest to find the "best" answer. Is this ever going to change? Probably not, but I sure hope so.

Answer 4

The victim didn't even receive the courtesy of being informed they were to have their existence terminated. Why should the perpetrator of such a hideous crime?
If the guilty party is given a custodial sentence they then become a drain on resources for the state. They have to be fed, clothed, sheltered, guarded etc. At some time in the future they will be released. Will they re-offend? Not if they are at the end of a rope.

Answer 5

No it doesn't make us murderers by hanging a murderer, there are to many do gooders in positions of power watering down deterrents that are put in place to protect the population at large, and prisons are to soft today, a prison sentence should mean what it implies. We are to soft on criminals there should not be any television or games they should be locked in a cell till their sentence is up, in case of serial and mental killers the death penalty should be brought back.

Answer 6

Check the death certificate of those executed by the State. Frequently they will indicate the cause of death as homicide since it fits the legal definition (deliberate, premeditated, etc) and there is no other appropriate check box that applies (i.e., it wasn't natural causes, accidental, etc). Most states with the death penalty have "fixed" this issue by having a check box now that says execution, but some still have not. In that case, I suppose one could consider a juror who participated in imposing the sentence an "accessory before the fact."

Answer 7

That's quite an interesting distinction. Those who kill for the sake of their self-interest, or recklessly because of some emotional anomaly, may be called "Murderers"..

Those who kill pursuant to a Jury Verdict, should be called "Muderers" (Note the different spelling)

Your question provided the answer!

Answer 8

You have a point.

However people die, it's nasty.
The latest awful botch in the 'greatest nation on earth' shows the brutality of the procedure.
The more civilised countries of Europe dropped the death penalty years ago. Now it's just countries like USA, Iran, China, etc. that keep up this barbarous practise, when they descend to the murderers level.

Answer 9

I don't believe so! They are having a death sentence because they have already taken a life. I think that unfortunately in this day and age capital punishment is the only way to stop people killing others.

Answer 10

I think it is. No one should have the right to claim death over another's life. I think a life time in jail is ok but taking a life is plain evil! No matter wot that person has done, yes it may be evil but ur just as bad as that person! Everyone's life is sacred u only live it once!

Answer 11

Happy Christmas