Why do some people oppose the death penalty for heinous crimes?

Question

I cannot fathom why some people are so opposed to executing the sickos of the world. I don't agree but I can understand why you would give somebody a break if they killed someone for instance in an armed robbery out of extreme economic need. But heinous psycho-sexual criminals should be eliminated posthaste. I really get irritated that people show more concern for a criminals "rights" than victim's families.

Answer 1

I agree with you. Those brain polluted idiots sympathize with the devil. They think the slime can be "changed" or the oxymoronic word "rehabilitated". Possibly because they raised their kids unchecked by morals and absolute truths of good and evil. They are sick and pathetic people, those liberals.

Answer 2

Consider the facts- here are a few, all verifiable and sourced.

Re: Deterrence
The death penalty isn’t a deterrent. Murder rates are actually higher in states with the death penalty than in states without it. Moreover, people who kill or commit other serious crimes do not think they will be caught (if they think at all.)

Re: cost
The death penalty costs far more than life in prison. The huge extra costs start to mount up even before the trial. There are more cost effective ways to prevent and control crime.

Re: Alternatives
48 states have life without parole on the books. It means what it says, is swift and sure and is rarely appealed. Being locked in a tiny cell for 23 hours a day, forever, is certainly no picnic. Life without parole incapacitates a killer (keeps him from re-offending) and costs considerably less than the death penalty.

Re: Who gets the death penalty
The death penalty isn’t reserved for the “worst of the worst,” but rather for defendants with the worst lawyers. When is the last time a wealthy person was sentenced to death, let alone executed??

Re: Victims families
The death penalty is very hard on victims’ families. They must relive their ordeal in the courts and the media. Life without parole is sure, swift and rarely appealed. Some victims families who support the death penalty in principal prefer life without parole because of how the death penalty affects families like theirs.

Re: Possibility of executing an innocent person
Over 120 people on death rows have been released with evidence of their innocence, many having already served over 2 decades on death row. If we speed up the process we are bound to execute an innocent person. Once someone is executed the case is closed. If we execute an innocent person the real criminal is still out there and will have successfully avoided being charged.

Re: DNA
DNA is available in less than 10% of murder cases. It’s not a miracle cure for sentencing innocent people to death. It’s human nature to make mistakes.

Opposing the death penalty doesn’t mean you condone brutal crimes or excuse people who commit them. According to a Gallup Poll, in 2006, 47% of all Americans prefer capital punishment while 48% prefer life without parole. Americans are learning the facts and making up their minds using common sense, not revenge.

Answer 3

Some oppose the death penalty on religious or moral grounds.

Some oppose it because the justice system makes mistakes, and how would you feel if you executed someone who as actually innocent.

Some people do not believe that one human should take the life of another, no matter what that other person has done.

Opinions vary.

Answer 4

If murder is the pre meditated taking of another life then how is someone executing someone (i.e. premeditated taking of another life) any different to murder? Two wrongs don't make a right. However, I don't believe that people who are in prison should have it easy. They are there for punishment and therefore should have things taken away from them. But I do believe that they should be rehabilitated and educated so when they come out they can actually make a contribution to society. Of course those who have commited horrific crimes such as murder, rape and child abuse should have appropriately suitable sentences and life should mean life.

Answer 5

it's always easy to make a point using the most extreme examples but the real problem is with where to draw the line...how sick does one have to be to deserve death? and if you're sick, how can you be blamed? you cannot blame a blind man for not being able to see, can you, so how can you blame a mentally sick person for being mentally sick? this is were the insanity plea comes in to play... so, you want to put to death those people who did sick things but are NOT sick and then decide how sick this thing has to be to deserve the death penalty and again, don't look at the most obvious cases but the least obvious and then you'll see why this is such a difficult question

Answer 6

Some do not believe in "an eye for an eye","a tooth for a tooth" .From the start of our creation, back in the day, there has always been some sort of death sentencing for those who have acted out their asinine ideas. There is no room anywhere for criminals who physically lash out in anyway towards another human being. How DARE them!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 7

okay wait one minute.
Death penalty in certian circumstances -- like that man who had the littleboy, and who was found had that other little boy for years....you telling me that man doesnt deserve the death penalty?

Anyone who would agree when the guy was caught red handed, has to have their head examined. But only someone who hasnt gone through the grief of losing a loved one to a heinous crime would argue like many do.

There was a man who kept women in his basement for years as his sex slave. RED HANDED. Indisputable. Those are the ones that SHOULD GET THE DEATH PENALTY!!!

Answer 8

No one is sure about these crimes...juries lie, witnesses lie, lawyers get paid to lie, and most judges are plain idiots.
There is no justice system anywhere. The rich buy their freedom and the poor get bad treatment.

The victim is in pieces and can not tell who killed them....so the best thing to do is to lock them up rather than kill the accused. Sad but true.

Answer 9

I agree with you in principle but its quite often the case that we execute the wrong person. Combine that with the fact that execution doesn't act as a deterrent and is far more expensive than even life imprisonment (after all legal avenues have been exhausted) I would sooner ban it.

Answer 10

Because state-sactioned murder is also a heinous crime and it is also selective. Most of the victims are minorities, especially poor and black. I guess OJ Simpson's lawyer couldn't get them all off.